


The Winchester Three (S1): The Beginning

by Maries_Fiction_Fix



Series: The Winchester Three Chronicles [1]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: F/M, Fanfiction, Protective Siblings, Protectiveness, Season/Series 01, Sibling Love, Siblings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-29
Updated: 2020-12-30
Packaged: 2021-03-10 20:40:29
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 14
Words: 100,193
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28403382
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Maries_Fiction_Fix/pseuds/Maries_Fiction_Fix
Summary: Angel Millie Winchester, eldest of the Winchester clan, had to grow up exceptionally early at the age of 6 to help care for her brothers (4 year old Dean and 6 month old Sam)  after their mother was murdered by a Yellow Eyed Demon.  She's blossomed into quite the spitting image of her mother, as well as one of the best hunters there is thanks to her father, John Winchester. When their father goes missing during a hunt, Dean and Angel link up with their hunter-retired law school bound brother Sam to find him as well as hunt and kill every supernatural creature they come across.
Series: The Winchester Three Chronicles [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2089137
Comments: 4
Kudos: 6





	1. Pilot

**DISCLAIMER:** I only own my character! Anything you might recognize is courtesy of the CW.

**  
WARNING: Some of these episodes/chapters may contain graphic violence, cursing, mentions of suicide or assault and other triggering aspects. Proceed with caution please.**

**Starring…**

_Jeffrey Dean Morgan as John Winchester_

_Samantha Smith as Mary Winchester_

_Katheryn Winnick as Angel Winchester_

_Dove Cameron as Teen Angel Winchester_

_Jensen Ackles as Dean Winchester_

_Ridge Canipe as Young Dean Winchester_

_Jared Padelecki as Sam Winchester_

_Alex Ferris as Young Sam Winchester_

_Jim Beaver as Bobby Singer_

_Shaine Jones as Asa Fox_

_Adrianne Palicki as Jessica Moore_

**Angel Millie Winchester Profile**

**Status:** Alive

**Species:** Human

**Date Of Birth:** December 21, 1977 [Sagittarius]

**Age (S1):** 28/29

**Alias(es):** Ang (most common)

Lil’ Bit (as a kid by John)

Angie (by Sam & Dean)

Kitten (by Asa)

**Family:** Henry Winchester (paternal grandfather)

Millie Winchester (paternal grandmother)

Samuel Campbell (maternal grandfather)

Deanna Campbell (maternal grandmother)

John Winchester (father)

Mary Winchester (mother)

Dean Thomas Winchester (younger brother)

Samuel William Winchester (youngest brother)

Bobby Singer (surrogate father)

**Relationships:** Asa Fox (love interest)

**Occupation:** Hunter

**Portrayed By:** **_Katheryn Winnick [Seasons 1-5]_**

Annabelle Wallis [Seasons 6-10]

Rachel McAdams [Seasons 11-15]

**Physical Appearance:**

Much like her mother Mary and younger brother Dean, Angel has bright green eyes. Also like Mary she has long blonde hair often kept in it naturally loose-curl state. She is 5'5", predominantly shorter than her younger brothers, fit but curvy, and noted as being just as beautiful as their mother. She has her ears pierced with studs, and her nose pierced on the left side with a diamond stud. Tribal tattoos she got at 20 line her left arm to cover jagged scars from a hunt gone wrong as a teenager.

Around her neck, she wears a simple silver cross that her brothers gave to her one year for her birthday and Christmas. Around a longer chain, she wears her mother's wedding bands that were found in debris from the fire. Her father gave them to her shortly after her death. As for clothing she usually wears some sort of tank top or tight v-neck tee, under a blue cotton jacket, a black leather jacket or a dark blue jean jacket with dark jeans and combat boots. 

At all times she has multiple weapons strapped to her. The first being her shoulder double gun holster under her jacket that held her engraved black beretta M9/92 and her black and chrome 1911 pistol. Strapped to the small of her back is a silver hunting knife, and strapped to her leg in a holster under her jeans she has a silver blade custom spanish muela knife. She also keeps a chrome and black butterfly knife from her father John in her back pocket. All weapons were either acquired from John, the boys, other hunters or the job itself.

**Prologue: 22 years ago Lawrence, Kansas**

_Crickets chirped outside of a suburban house where a large deciduous tree with no leaves stood. In the nursery of the home a woman in a white nightgown, Mary Winchester, carried a small four year old boy, her son Dean, as well as held the hand of a grinning six year old girl, her daughter Angel, as she led them to the crib of her newborn baby, Sam._

_She smiled lovingly at the two before leaning over the side of the crib to grin down at the cooing baby boy, “Come on, let's say goodnight to your brother.”_

_Angel tiptoes over the side of the crib and kissed his nose, “Goodnight Sammy. Sweet dreams.”_

_Dean did the same from Mary's arms and kissed his forehead, “‘Night, Sam.”_

_Mary leaned over Sam as well and brushed his hair back before kissing his forehead, “Good night, love.”_

_A man's voice was heard from behind them, happiness evident, “Hey, kids.”_

_Dean and Angel turn simultaneously to see their dad, John in a USMC T-shirt, grinning at the doorway._

_The two grin ecstatically and take off for him, “Daddy!”_

_“Hey you two.” He quickly scooped them both up in his arms giving kisses as he lifted them, “So what do you think? You think Sammy's ready to toss around a football yet?”_

_Dean shook his head as he laughed, “No daddy.”_

_Angel grinned, “He can't even walk yet!”_

_John laughed with them, “Guess you two are right.”_

_Mary passed by John and the kids on her way out of the room but stopped, reaching for Angel, “You get Dean. I'll get Angel?”_

_Angel hugged her father tighter, “Mommy can daddy tuck me in too?”_

_She smiled lovingly, “Sure sweetie.”_

_Mary looked to him questioningly and he nodded, “I got it.” Nodding she gave her daughter a kiss before she left the room, and John hugged them both closer before sending a smile to his youngest son, “Sweet dreams, Sam.”_

_John carried them out of the room, flipping off the lights on his way. Sam watched them go, gurgling, then reached for his toes happily. The baseball-themes mobile above his head begins to spin on its own while he watches and the transportation themed clock on the wall ticks twice before it stops. Then the moon shaped night light on the stand flickers._

_Later on, in John and Mary's bedroom the lights flicker on the baby monitor sitting on the nightstand. Strange noises come through on the monitor causing Mary to stir._

_She turns on the light, “John?”_

_Looking around she notices she's alone so she gets up and walks down the hallway to Sam's nursery. She sees the silhouette of John standing over Sam's which made her a bit curious._

_Mary studied them, “John? Is he hungry?”_

_John turned his head, “Shhh.”_

_She smiled, “All right.”_

_Turning, she headed back down the hallway but stopped when the light by the stairs started to flicker. Frowning, she went to tap on it and it steadied. As she was about to turn and walk away, more flickering came from downstairs so she went to investigate. A war movie played on the tv as John was asleep on the chair, snoring steadily._

_Panic struck Mary as she realized whoever was with her baby wasn't John and she took off back upstairs, “Sammy! Sammy!”_

_Upon hearing Mary's scream from upstairs John jolts awake and scrambles out of the chair before bolting up stairs, “Mary? Mary!”_

_He ran straight into the nursery_ _but the room was quiet and appeared empty except for Sam, who was still awake in his crib._

_John glanced around and pushed the side of the crib down, “Hey, Sammy. You okay?”_

_Something dark drips next to Sam catching John's eyes. He touched it curiously and two more drops landed on the back of his hand. It looked like blood. Puzzled, John looks up to see Mary sprawled across the ceiling. The stomach of her nightgown drenched in blood. She stared at John struggling to breathe._

_John collapsed onto the floor staring at her in grief, “No! Mary!”_

_She bursts into flames and the fire spreads over the ceiling as John stares frozen in shock and fear. Sam wailed jerking him back to reality and he quickly scooped the baby out of his crib before sprinting out of the room_

_Angel and Dean, who were awoken by the screaming and commotion, walked through the hall trying to investigate. Dean gripped his big sister in fear as they saw the fire erupt from Sam's room and their father bolt out of there holding the baby._

_“Daddy!”_

_John shoved Sam into Angel's arms and looked her in the eye, “Take your brothers outside as fast as you can and don't look back!”_

_“But dadd-”_

_“Now, Angel, go!”_

_Angel turned with the baby as well as Dean who was still gripping her tightly and bolted out of the house as John ran back to the nursery._

_“Mary!” The entire room was engulfed in flames and Mary herself could barely be seen, “No!”_

_Outside Angel ran with her brothers to safety and held them both close._

_She gripped Dean tightly as he whimpered in fear, “It's okay. It's- It’s gonna be okay.”_

_She looked up to Sam's window and was gripped with more fear when it exploded in fire._

_John ran outside of the house, quickly scooping his kids up and carrying them to safety, “I gotcha. It's okay, it's okay.”_

  
**Present Day: Salem, MA**

Angel Winchester stood in front of a crappy motel bathroom mirror as she studied her face closely. The shower roared on behind her still so she had to wipe away the steam. Her green eyes sparkled in the mirror brilliantly, a trait she shared not only with her late mother but her younger brothers as well. 

At 28 years old she was almost the spitting image of her mother before she passed, only with a few of her dad's traits as well. She held her mothers eyes and hair but her fathers prominent smile. She ran a brush through her long blonde hair before placing her nose stud back in its place. Grabbing her clothes she slipped on a pair of jeans, combat boots and a tank top over the tribal tattoos that lined her left arm. She slipped the chain that held her mothers wedding bands as well as the silver cross her brothers gave her when they were kids, over her neck. Her lips turned down in a frown as she eyed the nasty gash like bruise that was settled just below her chin from her most recent hunt. Sighing, she plopped herself into one of the motel chairs and opened her laptop. Before she could begin her research, banging sounded from the door making her tense.

Quickly she grabbed her black engraved Beretta M9/92, checked if it was loaded, and then cocked it before heading to the door. She opened the door until the chain stopped it, with the gun being held on the other side out of sight, and met eyes with her little brother: _Dean_.

He grinned at her, “Hiya, sis, busy?”

Angel smirked at him but shut and unlocked the chair so she could open the door to see him, “Always.” A click was heard as she uncocked the gun and set it down, “You done with your hunt already?”

“Yeah, uh, finished a few days ago.” He noted the research spread around, “You still workin’?”

“This is _Salem_ , D, I'll probably be here for a few.” She stepped in his way before he could come in when she heard the shower shut off, then looked over his shoulder to the empty impala, “Where's dad?”

“Thats why I'm here.” He pushed his way in, “Can I come in or what?”

“Babe?” A man's voice sounded as he stepped out of the bathroom in nothing but a towel, a man Dean himself didn't recognize because they'd never met, _Asa Fox_ , “Are my pants out here- _oh_.” 

He stopped, shocked to see another man in the hotel room. Ever the hunter, his eyes shifted from the strange man to his own gun on the nightstand not sure if the newcomer was a threat or not. He cleared his throat. 

“Uh… _hello_.” Asa sent a look to a mortified Angel who had a hand over her face but otherwise motioned that Dean wasn’t a threat, "I'm Asa… you are…?”

Dean crossed his arms but looked at his sister like he’d caught her in some big secret.

He laughed stiffly, “Uh, _Dean_ . Dean Winchester. I'm her, uh, _brother_.” He pointed awkwardly, “You guys… ?”

“Alright. _Out_ . Get out.” Angel snapped pushing her little brother through the door before smiling apologetically at Asa, “We’ll be outside Ace. _Sorry_.” 

He sighed smiling at her, “Sure thing. It's fine.”

Grabbing her jacket she walked outside after her brother, “ _Really,_ Dean? Who just barges into someone's room like that?”

He laughed, "Well, I didn't know you weren't _alone_. It's not like you working with other hunters is a normal thing.” He looked at his sister pointedly, “That your secret boyfriend?”

“ _Boyfriend_ is a strong word.”

Her knowing look make Dean grimace, “Oh, _gross_!” She laughed and he shook his head, “Just forget I asked.”

“ _Done_.” She motioned, “Now, you were saying about dad?”

“He's missing.” She raised a questioning brow so he explained, “You remember that last hunt he was on? Well he hasn't come back yet and he's not returning or answering any of my calls. _I gave him three days_ . We need to buckle down and find him.” She nodded in agreement before studying his face as he went on, “I mean _all of us_ , Angel.”

She scoffed, “ _No_ , have you lost your mind? Sams in _college_ , Dean. Freakin’ _Stanford_ for Christ sakes. _He got out_. I’m not going to be responsible for plunging him back in.”

“He’s gonna _want_ in.” Dean pushed, “And we need him for this.”

“We _need_ him for a _hunt_? We haven't needed him for a hunt in years. He left and hasn't contacted us since.” She scoffed, “So from where i'm standing, we’re more than capable of finding dad without bringing him back in.”

“Don't be like that, Angie.” Dean looked her over like she should know better to which she glared at, “I mean, he's still our little brother and he deserves to know that dads in trouble.

Angel unclenched her jaw before shaking her head, “ _Fine_ .” She pointed, “But i'm not begging him to come with us, Dean. If he wants to keep his life separate then we’re leaving. _No fights, no pushing_.”

He put his hands up, “Scouts honor.”

She glared, “You weren't in the scouts.” 

At his grin she shook her head and walked inside out collect her things

**_Palo Alto, CA: Stanford_ **

Angel walked over to the fire escape Dean was going to scour so he could sneak in through Sam's window.

She rolled her eyes, “I still don't see why you don't just _knock_.”

“Are you kidding me? As soon as he saw it's me he’d probably pretend not to be home.”

“Okay, _pick the lock to the front door_.”

“It’s more fun this way.” Dean grinned, rubbing his hands together, “Alright, you stayin’ out here?”

“ _Handle_ it, little brother.” She faked a smile, “ _You have all my faith_."

Chuckling, Dean climbed the fire escape and quickly made his way inside through the window like he said he would. Angel shook her head as she heard the idiot make a loud _thump_ upon entering. Turning she headed inside the apartment building so she could listen from the front door.

Inside, as Dean got up from his tumble and entered the next room, another man, Sam, lunged forward and grabbed him. Dean knocks Sam's arm away and aims a strike at him, which he ducks. Dean grabs Sam's arm, swings him around, and shoves him back. Sam kicks but gets blocked, then pushed back into another room. Dean elbows Sam in the face and Sam kicks at his head. Dean ducks and swings but Sam blocked it. Dean knocks Sam down and pins him to the floor, one hand at his neck and the other holding his wrist.

Dean laughed, “Whoa, _easy_ , tiger.”

Sam breathed hard, scowling up at his brother, “ _Dean_?” He laughed again and Sam scoffed, “You scared the crap out of me!”

“That's 'cause you're out of practice.” Sam grabs Deans hand and yanks, slamming his heel into Deans back and knocking Dean to the floor, “ _Or not_.” Dean taps him, “Get off of me.”

Sam rolls to his feet pulling his brother up with him, “What the hell are you doing here?”

“Well, I _was_ looking for a beer.” 

He put his hands on Sam's shoulder, shakes once, and then lets go.

Sam watched him, “ _What the hell are you doing here_?”

“Okay. _Alright_.” Dean turned to him seriously, “We gotta talk.”

“Uh, the _phone_?”

“If I'da called, would you have picked up?”

Sam's girlfriend Jess, who was wearing very short shorts and a cropped Smurfs shirt, came downstairs.

She turned the light on and looked around in confusion, “Sam?”

The boys turned their heads to her in unison, “Jess, _hey_.” He turned a warning look to his brother who was eyeing her appreciatively, “Dean, this is my girlfriend, Jessica.” 

Jess smiled nervously, “Wait, your _brother_ Dean?” 

Sam nodded, as Dean grins at her and moves closer, “Oh, I love the Smurfs. You know, I gotta tell you…” He smirks, coming to stand right in front of her, much to Sam's dismay, “ _You_ are _completely_ out of my brother's league.”

Jess nodded slowly before she motioned, “Just… let me put something on.”

Dean shook his head, “ _No, no_ , I wouldn't dream of it. _Seriously_.” He smiled as he backed over to Sam, who was still watching him with a stony expression, “Anyway, I gotta borrow your boyfriend here, talk about some private family business. But, uh, nice meeting you.”

“ _No_.” Sam goes over to Jess and puts an arm around her, “No, whatever you want to say, you can say it in front of her.”

“Okay…” Dean turns to look at them both straight on, “Um… Dad hasn't been home in a few days.”

Sam scoffed, “So he's working overtime on a Miller Time shift. He'll stumble back in sooner or later.”

At that comment Angel, who had been listening as she picked the lock on the front door, opened it and stepped into view. Sam's expression read even more shock as did his girlfriends. Dean ducked his head and looked back up at her warily at Angel, noting the irritated glint her eyes.

Angel's green eyes pierced her youngest brothers in a warning, “Hey, Sammy… Long time no see.”

Sam's eyebrows shot up, “ _Angel_?”

He was shocked to see Dean but even more so at the sight of their older sister. When he left, she took it the hardest after their father. While she understood he didn't want to be a hunter for the rest of his life, that he wanted a chance at a normal life, she wasn't expecting him to cut all of them out of it completely. She took it personally when he left and even more so when he dropped all contact. 

“Your _sister_ too?” Jess huffed a breath, still a little shocked and confused, “Wow… you guys planning a family reunion or something?”

“Nice to meet you… _Jess_ .” Angel smiled at her before turning her eye to her youngest brother, “Look, what Dean _means_ is… Dad's on a _hunting_ trip, and he’s gone ghost for a few days.”

Sam's expression doesn't change while he takes this in and Jess glances up at him, “Jess, excuse us. We have to go outside.”

After putting on jeans and hoodie, Sam led the three of them outside.

“He’s in trouble, Sam.” Angel started, “We just thought you'd wanna know.”

“But I mean, come on. You two can't just break in, middle of the night, and expect me to hit the road with you.”

“Actually, _Deans_ the one that broke in.” Angel quipped, “ _I_ waited patiently outside until you started being a brat.”

_“You picked the lock to the front door.”_

“ _Whatever_ . You're not hearing what we’re saying, Sammy. Dad's _missing_. We need to find him.”

“You two remember the poltergeist in Amherst? Or the Devil's Gates in Clifton?” Sam pointed out. “He was missing _then_ , too. He's _always_ missing, and he's _always_ fine.”

“Not for this long.” Dean stops and turns around causing the two of them to stop as well, “Now, are you gonna come with us or not?”

Sam dismissed them, “I'm _not_.”

Dean looked over, “ _Why_ not?”

“I swore I was done hunting. _For good_.”

Angel started back down the stairs followed by Dean and then Sam, “ _Look_ , our life wasn't easy in the least, Sam, but don't make it out to be some _terrible_ upbringing. It could have been _a lot_ worse.”

“ _Yeah_ ?” He countered, “When I told Dad I was scared of the thing in my closet, _he gave me a .45_.”

“And I _corrected_ that by letting you sleep with me and telling you I’d protect you from said closet monsters, _did I not_ ?” Dean snickered but stopped at her look as they stopped at the door to the outside, “And _anyway_ , what was he _supposed_ to do?”

“I was _nine_ years old! He was supposed to say, _don't be afraid of the dark_.”

“ _Don't be afraid of the dark_ ?” Dean repeated with a scoff, “Are you kidding me? Of _course_ you should be afraid of the dark. You know what's out there.”

“Yeah, I know, but _still_. The way we grew up, after Mom was killed, and Dad's obsession to find the thing that killed her…” They both looked away from him at that, “But we still haven't found the damn thing. So we kill everything else we can find.”

“We save a lot of people doing it, too.”

There was a pause in conversation at Angel's comment before Sam trekked on, “You think _Mom_ would have wanted this for us?” Dean rolls his eyes as Angel slams the door open and they start down another short flight of stairs that leads to the parking lot, “The weapon training, and melting the silver into bullets? _Face it_ , the three of us were raised like _warriors_.”

“Yeah we were, and you know what? We’re better for it to this day. He prepared us for the shit out there that could kill us in seconds, Sam. Yeah dad was a gruff son of a bitch as we grew up but you two still had me.” Angel shook her head, “I did _everything_ I could to raise you two with what dad couldn't. I tried to take mom's place the best I could at that age. So _excuse me_ if i get a little offended when you bash your upbringing.” They crossed the parking lot to the impala, and Angel turned to him glaring, “ _So_ ? What are you gonna do? You're just gonna live some normal, apple pie life with your head in the sand? Is _that_ it?”

Sam's jaw clenched. He never really had the gull to go up against his big sister in a fight, even as a rebellious teenager. His dad, he had no problem challenging. Angel was a different story.

“No. Not normal.” Sam corrected, “ _Safe_.”

Dean looks away from him, scoffing, “And _that's_ why you ran away.”

Angel crossed her arms and Sam sighed, “I was just going to college. It was _Dad_ who said if I was gonna go I should _stay_ gone. And _that's_ what I'm doing.”

“So that means, _what_ ? Just drop your brother and sister like we’re nothing?” He was about to counter but she brushed him off, “ _Look_ , this isn't about _that_ . This is about _Dad_ . He’s in real trouble right now. _If_ he's not dead already. We _both_ feel it.” Sam is silent so she pushed on, “We can't do this alone, Sam.”

“Yes you can.” He motioned, “You've got each other. You don't need me.”

Dean looks down, “That's not the point. We don't _want_ to do it without you.” He pointed to Angel, “Plus, _she's kind of overbearing_. It'd be nice to have someone else to out vote her.” A first landed on his shoulder painfully, “Ow!”

“Shut _up_.” 

_Sure she was 28 but her brothers always had a hand in making her feel like she was 17 again._

Sam laughed watching them then sighs and looks down, thinking, before looking back up at them, “What was he hunting?”

Dean opened the trunk of the impala triumphantly. Then the spare-tire compartment which was an arsenal. He propped the compartment open with a shotgun and dug through the clutter.

“All right, let's see…” Dean shuffled around, “Where the hell did I put that thing?”

Sam looked from him to Angel, “So when Dad left, why didn't you two go with him?”

“I was in Salem for another hunt.” She kicked out at Dean who was going to make a snarky comment and smiled when he hissed out in pain, “Few pissed off witch spirits.”

“And I was uh, working this voodoo thing, down in New Orleans.”

Sam eyed them, “And Dad just let you two go on a hunting trip by yourselves?”

Dean looks over at him pointedly, “I'm twenty-six, dude. She's 28. I think we can handle it.” He pulls some papers out of a folder, “All right, here we go. So Dad was checking out this two-lane blacktop just outside of Jericho, California. About a month ago, this guy…” He hands one of the papers to Sam, “They found his car, but he vanished. Completely MIA.”

Sam reads it and glances up, “So maybe he was kidnapped.”  
  


“Yeah. Well, here's another one in April.” Dean tosses down another Jericho Herald article for each date he mentions, “Another one in December 'oh-four, 'oh-three, 'ninety-eight, 'ninety-two… _Ten of them over the past twenty years_.” He takes the article back from Sam and picks up the rest of the stack, putting them back in the folder, “All men, all the same five-mile stretch of road.” Dean pulls a bag out of another part of the arsenal, “It started happening more and more, so Dad went to go dig around. That was about three weeks ago. I hadn't heard from him for a few days, which is bad enough. So I went to Salem and got Angel and we just got this voicemail yesterday.” 

He grabs a handheld tape recorder and presses play. The recording is staticky and the signal was clearly breaking up but their father's voice sounded from it.

“ _Angel, Dean… something big is starting to happen… I need to try and figure out what's going on. It may… Be very careful. We're all in danger_.”

Dean pressed stop and Sam pointed, “You know there's EVP on that?”

Dean grinned, “Not bad, Sammy. Kinda like riding a bike, isn't it?” 

Sam shook his head.

“ _Anyway_ .” Angel interjected, “We slowed the message down, ran it through a gold wave, took out the hiss, _and_ …” 

She motioned to Dean who presses play again.

A woman's voice sounded, “ _I can never go home_ …”  
  


Sam repeated with a frown, “Never go home.”

Dean drops the recorder, puts down the shotgun, stands straight, and shuts the trunk to lean on it, “You know, in almost two years neither of us has ever bothered you, never asked you for a thing.”

Sam looks away at their eyes and sighs before looking back, “All right. I'll go. I'll help you two find him.” Dean sends a knowing ‘ _i told you so_ ’ look to Angel before nodding at Sam, “ _But_ I have to get back first thing Monday. Just wait here.” 

He turns to go back to the apartment then turns back when Angel asks, “What's happening first thing Monday?”

“I have this… I have an interview.”

“What, a job interview?” Dean waved, “ _Skip it_.”

“It's a _law school_ interview, and it's my whole future on a plate.”

Angel looked him over impressed, “Law school huh?”

Sam smirked, “So we got a deal or not?”

  
Dean says nothing but Angel shrugged, “Good enough for me.”

**SECTION TWO**

_**Gas station…** _

Angel filled up the impala as she talked with Asa on her cell. Ramblin Man by the Allman Brothers plays as Sam, who is sitting shotgun, rifled through a box of Deans tapes.

_“You sure you’re okay, kitten? You left pretty fast the other night.”_

“Yeah, Ace. I'm fine.” She eyed Dean as he came out of the convenience market carrying an arm full of junk food, “Just… in the middle of a little family reunion. We think my dads missing or in trouble or something so we picked up our little brother to help find him.” 

_“Do you guys need more help?”_

“No, we got it, don't worry. It's kind of a… family thing anyway.”

“ _You thinkin it' s got somethin’ to do with the thing that killed your mom?”_

“Maybe. He's been hunting it, never stopped.”

“ _Alright well if you need anything, to talk or a booty call…” He trailed off making her laugh, “Anything honey, call me._ ”

“Yeah. You know I will. Bye Asa.”

Angel smirked as she got off the phone. Throughout her years hunting she never really got along with other hunters. Her dad always had strict rules about them. 

_They were always trouble, no exception._

And as far as boyfriends went, she was never exclusive with anyone longer than her stay for a case. After meeting Asa though, that kind of changed. During a solo hunt she was on, she met Asa and was shocked to learn he knew her mother _once upon a time._ That's when she learned her mother used to be a hunter. She saved Asa when he was a kid.

She never told her brothers any of that information. Angel wanted them to keep the ideals they already had of her. Afterwards, any chance she got to hunt with him she really took it but kept him separated from her family at the same time. Dean and her father were protective to say the least. But Asa, Angel felt, could be a long time runner in her life.

Dean smirked as he walked closer to the impala and put all the junk food on the trunk, “That your boyfriend?” 

“He's not my boyfriend.” She glared and put the pump back on the stand, “ _And mind your own business_.”

“You know… we _are_ your brothers. You can tell us.”

“ _Right_ . Safe to say, I’m not jumping at the opportunity to lay out my _personal sex life_ to my nosey little brothers. So drop it.”

He made a face before calling to Sam, “Hey!” Sam leans out and looks at them, “You want _breakfast_?”

Sam looked over the junk, “No, thanks.”

Angel shook her head and took the cupcake out of Dean's mouth, “ _This_ is not breakfast. _This_ is diabetes.”

“Do you ever stop _bossing_?”

She grinned and threw it in the trash before coming to sit in the back seat, “Once you two start listening _i'll_ stop being bossy.”

“Just like old times.” Sam laughed and shook his head, “So how'd you pay for that stuff? You three still running credit card scams?”

Angel shrugged, “It's not like we get a paycheck to off ghosts and other supernatural crap.”

Dean shrugged, “Besides, all we do is _apply_. It's not our fault they send us the cards.”

Sam swings his legs back inside the car and closes the door, “Yeah? And what names did you write on the application this time?” 

“Uh, _Burt Aframian_ .” Dean answered as he put his soda and chips down, “ _And_ his kids Hector…” He holds one out to Angel, “And Lena.” 

“Thanks.” Angel took the card and slipped it in her bag then eyed Sam as he continued shuffling through the tapes, “You doin’ alright over there, snoopy?”

“Yeah, it's just…” He motioned to the dozen cassettes in the box on his lap, “Dean, you've gotta update your cassette tape collection.” 

Dean eyed him, “Why?”

“Well, for _one_ , they're _cassette_ tapes. And _two_ …” He holds up a tape for every band he names, “Black Sabbath? Motorhead? _Metallica_? It's the greatest hits of mullet rock.”

“Metallica?” Angel leaned up to the front and took the tape from Sam, glaring at Dean, “ _This_ is mine, thief.” She then looks down through the box and sees several other tapes of hers, she scoffs and grabs her favorite one, “Oh _you are so dead_ . You did _not_ take my Ramones tape. Did you really break into Trans Am and take all these? _Really_?”

Dean smirked saying nothing and Sam looked back at her, “You finished the Trans Am?”

“Yeah. Well me and Dean did together before he started thieving my crap.” She grinned happily remembering the day that beautiful black 69 Pontiac firebird was up and running, “It only took forever but she's beautiful. Runs smooth. Only you know how your brother is when it comes to who's driving to and from the jobs.”

“There's more room in here anyway.” Dean rolls his eyes and takes the Metallica cassette, “And listen here, Sammy, I'm gonna teach you somethin’.”

Angel rolls her eyes, “Oh, _please_.”

“It’s house rules.” Dean pops the tape in the player, “ _Driver picks the music, shotgun shuts his cakehole_. That goes for the backseat driver back there too.” He drops the Metallica box back in the box of tapes and starts the engine

Sam turned to him, “You know, _Sammy_ is a chubby twelve-year-old. It's _Sam_ , okay?”

Angel leaned up to the front and turned the music up.

She smiled at her little brother as Dean laughed, “Sorry, we can't hear you, the music's too loud.”

**_Jericho 7…_ **

  
The three of them drove past the town sign as Sam ended a call on his cell, “All right. There's no one matching Dad at the hospital or morgue, so that's _something_ , I guess.”

Dean glances over at Sam, then back at the road. At a bridge ahead of them, there are two police cars and several officers.

Dean motioned, “Check it out.” 

Angel looks up and Sam leans forward for a closer look. Dean pulls over and the three study the officers silently for a second before he turns off the engine. He opens the glove compartment and pulls out a box full of ID cards with his Angels and John's faces. 

Dean quickly plucks a few out, tosses one to Angel and grins at Sam, “Let's go.” 

Sam bulked at them as they got out of the car, “We’re gonna get arrested again, aren’t we?”

“Probably.” Angel shrugged, winking at him, “ _Price_ little brother, price. It’s the job. Hope you remember how to pick your way out of cuffs.”

On the bridge, the lead Deputy leans over the railing to yell down to two men in wetsuits who were poking around the river, “You guys find anything?”

“No!”

“Nothing!”

He turns back to the car in the middle of the bridge where another deputy was looking, “No sign of struggle, no footprints, no fingerprints. _Spotless_ . It's almost _too_ clean.”

Angel and the boys walk into the crime scene like they belong there as the deputy questions another man.

“So, this kid Troy… He's dating your daughter, isn't he?”

“Yeah.”

“How's Amy doing?”

“She's putting up missing posters downtown.”

Dean sauntered up, “You fellas had another one like this just last month, didn't you?” 

The Deputy looks up when Dean starts talking and immediately straightens, “And who are _you_?”

Dean flashes his badge followed by Angel, “Federal marshals.”

The Deputy studied them, “You three are a little _young_ for marshals, aren't you?”

Angel laughs charmingly, feigning flattery, “Thanks, that's awfully kind of you.” She walked over to the car, the others following closely, “You _did_ have another one just like this, correct?”

“Yeah, that's right. About a mile up the road. There've been others before that.”

“So, this victim, you knew him?” Sam asked

He nods, “Town like this, _everybody knows everybody_.”

Dean circles the car, looking around, “Any connection between the victims, besides that they're all men?”

“No. Not so far as we can tell.”

Sam goes over to Dean, “So what's the theory?”

The deputy shrugged, “Honestly, we don't know. Serial murder? Kidnapping ring? Stumped.”

Dean laughed sarcastically and Angel prepared herself for the comment she knew her brother was going to make, “Well, _that_ is exactly the kind of crack police work I'd expect out of you guys.”

Sam stomps on his foot and nods politely at their offended faces, “Thank you for your time.” He starts to walk away and the two of them follow, “ _Gentlemen_.”

Angel glares at Dean, her voice dropping as they walk away, “What, Dad’s gone for five minutes and you forgot how to act?”

He glared back at her before quickly smacking Sam on the head, “Ow! What was that for?”

He looked to him pointedly, “Why'd you have to step on my foot?”

“Why do you have to talk to the police like that?”

Angel took an annoyed breath and pinched them both on the back of the arm making them jerk away in pain, “Ow!”

“Angel!”

“Will you two stop acting like your _six?_ Okay? We’re _working_ here. Come on.”

Dean quickly moves in front of them, forcing them to stop walking, “Come on. They don't really know what's going on. We're all alone on this. I mean, if we're going to find Dad we've got to get to the bottom of this thing _ourselves_.”

“Yeah, but that doesn't mean we won't need the local badges help you idiot.” Angel's eyes drifted above Dean's shoulders when the Sheriff stopped next to them with two FBI agents, Dean turned at seeing Angel's forced smile, “Gentleman. Problem?”

The Sheriff regarded them, “You three need help?”

“No sir.” Angel smiled brilliant and led her brothers past, “We were just leaving.”

As they pass the FBI agents Dean nods at each of them, “Agent Mulder. Agent Scully.”

**_Marquee Highland Movie Theater…_ **

The three Winchesters watched as a young woman was tacking up posters with the victim, Troys, face on them. 

Dean turned, “I'll bet you that's her.”

Angel eyed him, “What gave you that idea?”

He glared but they walked up to the Young Woman, Dean smiling charmingly, “You must be Amy.”

“Yeah…”

“Yeah, Troy told us about you.” Angel nodded before making introductions, “Uh, I'm his Aunt Angel and these are my brothers. His uncle Dean and Sam.”

She looked them over before walking away, “He never mentioned you to me.”

“Well, that's Troy, I guess.” Dean laughed, “We're not around much, we're up in Modesto.”

Sam nodded, “So, we're looking for him too, and we're kinda asking around.”

Another young woman comes up to Amy and puts a hand on her arm, “Hey, are you okay?”

“Yeah.”

Angel made eye contact with Amy, “You mind if we ask you a couple questions? Your friend can come.”

Amy looked at her friend before nodding and leading them to a booth for more privacy. The boys sat opposite Amy and her friend while Angel pulled up a chair next to the booth. 

Amy looked to them, “I was on the phone with Troy. He was driving home. He said he would call me right back, and… he never did.”

Sam asked, “He didn't say anything strange, or out of the ordinary?”

Amy shakes her head, “No. Nothing I can remember.”

Sam's eye caught the pentagram in a circle pendant hanging around her neck and he studied it, “I like your necklace.”

Her hand traced it, “Troy gave it to me. Mostly to scare my parents…” She laughs, “With all that devil stuff.”

Sam laughs a little too, both of his siblings giving him a look of warning, “Actually, it means just the opposite. A pentagram is protection against evil. Really powerful.” At Angel's eye he shifted, “I mean, if you believe in that kind of thing.”

“Okay. Thank you, _Unsolved Mysteries_ .” Dean takes his arm off the back of Sam's seat and leans forward, “Here's the deal, ladies. The way Troy disappeared, _something's not right_. So if you've heard anything... “ 

When Amy and Rachel shared a tense look, Angel motioned between them, “Care to share?”

“Well, it's just…” Rachel started, “I mean, with all these guys going missing, people talk.”

The Winchesters all speak in chorus, “What do they talk about?”

“It's kind of this local legend. This one girl? She got murdered out on Centennial, like decades ago.” Dean looks to Angel knowingly as Sam watches Rachel attentively, nodding, “Well, supposedly she's still out there. She hitchhikes, and whoever picks her up? Well, _they disappear forever_.”

**_Local library…_ **

  
A web browser is open to the archive search page for the Jericho Herald. The words _‘Female Murder Hitchhiking’_ are typed into the search box. Dean clicks GO and the screen tells him there are ‘ _(0)_ _Results’_. He glares and replaces _‘Hitchhiking’_ with _‘Centennial Highway’,_ rolling his eyes when he gets the same response. Sam and Angel are sitting next to him, watching quietly. 

Sam reached over, “Let me try.”

Dean smacks his hand away, “I got it.”

Angel rolled her eyes, “Just let him do it, D, or we’re going to be researching until I'm 40.”

“I'll be done before next week, relax.” She glared at that as Sam quickly shoves Dean's chair out of the way and takes over, “Dude!” He hit him in the shoulder, “You're such a control freak.”

Sam ignored him, “So angry spirits are born out of violent death, right?”

Dean sulked so Angel answered him, “Yeah.”

“Well, maybe it's not murder.” 

He promptly replaces ‘ _Murder’_ with _‘Suicide’_ and finds an article entitled ‘ _Suicide on Centennial_ ’. Angel glanced at Dean, impressed as Sam opened the article that was dated April 25, 1981. It read:

  
 _A local woman's drowning death was ruled a suicide, the county Sheriff's Department said earlier today. Constance Welch, 24, of 4636 Breckenridge Road, leapt off Sylvania Bridge, at mile 33 of Centennial Highway, and subsequently drowned last night. Deputy J. Pierce told reporters that, hours before her death, Ms. Welch logged a call with 911 emergency services. In a panicked tone, Ms. Welch described how she found her two young children, 5 and 6, in the bathtub, after leaving them alone for several [minutes]. She reported that their complex-[...]_ _  
  
_

_“What happened to my children was a terrible accident. And it must have been too much for my wife. Our babies were gone, and Constance just couldn't bear it,” said husband Joseph Welch. “Now I ask that you all please respect my privacy during this trying time.”_

_At the time of the children's death and Ms. Welch's subsequent suicide, Mr. Welch was at the Frontier auto salvage yard, where he works the graveyard shift as associate manager._

_“Connie might have been quiet, but she was the sweetest, most caring girl I ever knew,” said Deanna Kripke, a neighbor. “She just doted on those children.”_

Sam pointed, “This was 1981. Constance Welch, twenty-four years old, jumps off Sylvania Bridge and drowns in the river.”

Angel looked over his shoulder, “Does it say why she did it?”

“Yeah.”

At his grim expression Dean pressed, “What?”

“An hour before they found her, she called 911. Apparently her two little kids are in the bathtub. She leaves them alone for a minute, and when she comes back, they aren't breathing. Both died.”

Dean raises his eyebrows, “Hm.”

Angel leaned forward studying the picture on the screen more closely, “Hey boys, that bridge look familiar to you?”

**_Sylvania Bridge…_ **

Angel, Dean and Sam carefully walk along the bridge before stopping to lean on the railing to look down at the river.

Dean studied the water down below, “So this is where Constance took the swan dive.”

Angel sighed, disappointed there wasn't anything useful in sight, “Apparently so.”

Sam looked at them, “So… you think Dad would have been here?”

Dean nodded, “Well, he's chasing the same story and we're chasing him.”

“Okay, so _now_ what?”

“ _Now_ we keep digging until we find him.” Angel turned to study him pointedly, “Which might take a minute.”

“Well i told you guys i've only got until-”

“ _Monday_ . Right.” Dean turned, “ _The interview_ . So you're really serious about this, aren't you? You think you're just going to become some lawyer?” He moved his hands around dramatically, “ _Marry your girl_?”

“Maybe.” At his look he motioned to Angel. “Ang, help me out here. Regardless about how things are now… you supported my Stanford move.”

Angel's facial expression remained blank, something she's perfected all these years. 

“ _Look_ , I'm glad you went to Stanford and… I'm even glad you managed to find the ‘ _normal apple pie life_ ’ you've always wanted, little brother. _But_ all of that doesn't change the facts and it certainly doesn't change your past.” Her eyes pierced him in a challenge, “Does Jessica even _know_ the truth about you? I’m talking about the _real_ you, not the _Stanford_ you. I mean, does she know about the things you've _done_?”

“Shes right.” Dean added with a nod, “Have you told her about what’s _really_ lurking behind shadows?”

“ _No_ .” Sam took a defensive step forward, “And she's not _ever_ going to know.”

Angel scoffed as she rolled her eyes at that, “Yeah Sam because _that's_ healthy. _Is that how it works in the land of fairies and unicorns_? You think your relationship is going to last long when it's based on lies and secrets?”

Dean agreed, “You can pretend all you want, Sammy. But sooner or later you're going to have to face up to who you really are.”

When they turned to walk down the bridge, Sam quickly caught up, “And who's that?”

Angel threw an annoyed glare his way, “You're one of _us_.”

“ _No_ . I'm not like you guys.” He quickly came to a stop in front of them, “This is _not_ going to be my life.”

“You have a responsibility to-”

“To _Dad_ ?” Sam interrupted, “And his _crusade_ ? If it weren't for pictures I wouldn't even know what Mom _looks_ like. And what difference would it make? Even if we _do_ find the thing that killed her, _Mom's gone_ and she _isn't_ coming back.”

There was a beat of silence between the three of them before Dean grabs Sam by the collar and shoves him up against the railing of the bridge.

Fire blazed in his eyes, “Don't talk about her like that!”

“Hey. Hey!” Angel quickly separated them, pushing Dean several feet away and giving him a warning look, “Just enough with the fighting alright? We’re not getting anywhere productive with it and we don't have time for it anyway. Let's just… _table_ it, okay?” She looked from Dean, who nodded angrily, to Sam, who nodded as well, “Okay, good.” 

As Dean walked away to cool off he stopped dead in his tracks at seeing the ghost of Constance standing at the edge of the bridge. Angel and Sam both notice her as well and come to stand next to Dean as she looks over to the three hunters. She stared at them for a beat before stepping off the ledge. The three of them run to the railing and look over but nothing was there.

Deans brows furrowed, “Where'd she go?”

“I don't know.” Angel's eyes swept over the water, “I can't see her.” 

Behind them, the Impala's engine starts and its headlights come on causing them to turn.

Dean scowled, “What the-”

Sam watched it as well, “Who's driving your car?”

Dean pulls the keys out of his pocket and jingles them just as the car jerks into motion, heading straight for them. They turn and sprint the other way but the car is moving faster than they are; when it gets too close, they dive over the railing and the car comes to a halt.

**Section Three**

After flinging themselves off the bridge, Sam caught himself on the edge and hung on as well as helped Angel keep her grip. He pulls himself up onto the bridge before leaning over and pulling Angel up next.

Catching his breath, he looked her over, “You alright?”

“Yeah.” She huffed, “Yeah I think I am- Dean.” Her face paled as she didn't see her other little brother anywhere, “Dean!” 

They both scrambled to their feet and looked below to see Dean, filthy and annoyed, crawl out of the water and into the mud.

He panted angrily, “ _What_?”

Angel breathes a sigh of relief as does Sam, “Are you all right?”

  
Dean holds up one hand in an _A-OK_ sign, “I'm _super_.”

Sam and Angel laugh as they scoot away from the edge and go get him. Dean met them next to the impala, leaning on the hood after he checked everything. 

Sam motions, “Your car all right?”

“Yeah, whatever she did to it, seems all right now. That Constance chick…” Dean growls, “What a bitch!”

“Well, she doesn't want us digging around, that's for sure.” Sam agrees, “So where's the job go from here?”

Sam settles on the hood next to Angel who was in between him and Dean. Dean throws up his arms in frustration, then flicks mud off his hands. Angel grimaced and then moved away from them. 

“You smell like a _toilet_.” She covered her nose, ignoring his glare, “Seriously, little brother, you reek.”

**_Later on…_ **

They made it down to a local motel so Dean could get cleaned up. He slammed the VersaBank MasterCard in the name of _Hector Aframian_ on a handwritten guest ledger. 

“One room, please.”

The clerk picks up the card and studies it, “There some type of reunion happening or something?”

Sam and Angel look at each other before the latter moves forward, “What do you mean?”

“I had another guy, _Burt_ Aframian. He came and bought out a room for the whole month.”

After a look from her brothers Angel came forward and gave the man a charming smile, “That's uh, our dad's room. We’ll all just bunk with him, sweets.”

After they got the key they walked over to the room and swung the door open, entering slowly with their weapons raised. After seeing the room is empty of any person they shuffle inside and close the door. As they looked around they noticed every vertical surface has papers pinned to it: _maps, newspaper clippings, pictures, notes_. There are books on the desk and assorted junk on the floor and bed, including something with a hazardous-materials symbol.

Angel picked up a paper with familiar writing on it, “Well there's no doubt this is dad's room.”

Dean turns on a light by the bed and picks up a half-eaten hamburger sitting there.

He sniffs the burger and recoils, “I don't think he's been here for a couple days at _least_.”

Sam steps over a line of salt on the floor then fingers it and looks up, “Salt, cats-eye shells… he was _worried_. Trying to keep something from coming in.”

Angel nods, “Whatever he's hunting i'm guessing…”

  
Dean looks at the papers covering one wall and motions, “It's all the Centennial Highway victims.” The victims seen on the wall include all the men who disappeared in 1987 at age 25, “I don't get it… I mean, different men, different jobs, ages, ethnicities. There's always a connection, right? What do these guys have in common?”

Angel mumbled, “Besides being ganked by some psycho ghost?”

  
While they talk, Sam looks at the papers taped to the other walls. There's something about the Bell Witch, two people being burned alive, a skeletal person blowing a horn at several scared people with the note ‘ _MORTIS DANSE_ ’, a column about ‘ _Devils + Demons_ ’, another about ‘ _Sirens, Witches, the possessed_ ’, a wooden pentacle, and a note that says ‘ _Woman in White_ ’ above a printout of the Jericho Herald article on Constance's suicide.

Sam turns on another lamp, “Dad figured it out. He found the same article we did. _Constance Welch_. She's a woman in white.”

“ _Huh_ .” Angel pursed her lips, “That makes sense _but_ dad would have burned the corpse if he knew that _so…_ where does that leave us?”

“She might have another weakness.”

“Well, Dad would want to make sure.” Dean crosses the room to him, “He'd dig her up. Does it say where she's buried?”

Sam shook his head, “No, not that I can tell. If I were Dad, though, I'd go ask her husband.” He taps the picture of Joseph Welch, “If he's still alive.”

“So…” Angel pulled out her laptop and sat down, “Let's find out if he's still kicking.”

Sam goes to look at something else and Dean nodded at them, “All right. Why don't you, uh, see if you can find an address, I'm gonna get cleaned up.”

Angel looks up, “Thank god. This place is already gnarly enough without you in here.”

Dean rolls his eyes at her and starts to walk away but Sam stops him, “Wait… uh…” He stops and turns back, “What I said earlier, about Mom and Dad, I'm sorry.”

Dean holds up a hand, “No chick-flick moments. It's bad enough we're _rolling_ with a chick.”

Angel continued clicking away, “A chick who can hunt _twice_ as good as you so keep talkin.”

Sam shook his head at Dean, “Jerk.”

Dean pointed at him, “Bitch.”

“Idiots.” She looks up, “Go was that shit off already. _Damn_.”

  
Sam laughs again and Dean disappears into the bathroom. Sam studied his sister for a second before he noticed something that made his smile disappear. He gets up quietly and crosses over for a look. A rosary hangs in front of a large mirror, and stuck into the mirror frame is a photo of John sitting on the hood of the Impala, next to a young girl, Angel, a small boy in a baseball cap, Dean, and a younger boy, Sam, on John's lap. Sam takes the photo off the mirror and holds it, smiling sadly.

Later on, Angel is taking a quick break and cat nap on the bed with one of her hats over her face as Sam paces about the room. He held his phone, and took a seat at her feet as he listened to his voicemail messages from Jess.

“ _Hey, it's me, it's about ten-twenty Saturday night-”_

Dean, clean again, comes out of the bathroom and grabs his jacket. 

He shrugs it on one shoulder as he crosses the room, “I'm starving. I'm gonna grab a little something to eat in that diner down the street. You guys want anything?”

“So _yes_.” Angel groggily got up but tossed the hat onto the bed, “I could so go for something slathered in bacon right about now. Sam?”

He waved them off, “No.”  
  
Dean held up the card, “Aframian's buying.”

He shrugs as Sam says no and follows his sister out. Once they are outside the hotel room Dean smirks as he gets the jacket on all the way and they cross the lot.

“I think we got him. _Hook, line and sinker_.”

Angel rolls her eyes, “ _No_ i think Jess _and_ Stanford has him _hook, line and sinker_. We have him till Tuesday.”

“ _Monday_.”

“ _Whatever_.” When something in front of them catches her eye, she jerks him back, “Dean.”

At his look she motions over to a police car, where the motel clerk is talking to Deputy Jaffe and Deputy Hein. The Clerk points to them and they quickly turn away, Dean pulling his phone out in the process.

“Who are you calling?” Angel whispered fiercely, “A _Bondsman_?” 

“ _Sam_ .” He quieted until Sam answered, “Dude, _five-oh_ , take off… Uh, they kinda spotted us. Go find Dad.”

As the cops trekked closer to them, Angel intercepted the officers. She pulled out her best charming Winchester smile, although it was a little forced at the moment.

“Well, howdy there, Deputies…” She beamed up at them as she put her hands on her hips, “How uh, how can we help you two?”

Jaffe regarded her with a blank stare before his eye went over to Dean and back to her, “Where's your other partner?”

“Other- other partner?” Angel chuckled, backing up to Dean, “ _Who_? There's only two of us, right?”

Dean chuckled tightly, “Right.”  
  


Jaffe glances over their shoulders and jerks his thumb towards the motel room. Hein heads over there as Dean and Angel look to each other warily.

“ _So_ .” Jaffe grinned fakely at them, “ _Fake_ US Marshals. _Fake_ credit cards. You got anything that's real?”

Angel pursed her lips then snapped her fingers, snarkily, “ _My boobs_ . These are real c-cups.” She inked, “No silicone, _god gifted_ really.”

Jaffee glares before motioning to a female deputy and before they knew it the both of them were getting slammed into the hood of a cop car with their rights being read.

**Section Four**

**_At the Sheriff's Office…_ **

  
Angel whispered, shifting her cuffed hands as she turned to him. “ _Alright_ , so reach in the back of that criminal head of yours and figure out how we’re getting out of this.” 

Dean scoffed, “Yeah right. _You_ were the one that got arrested the most so that should fall on _you_.”

Sheriff Pierce entered the room carrying a box and they silenced. He sets the box on the table where Dean and Angel are cuffed and goes around to sit across from them.

“So either of you want to give us your real name?”

“I told you, it's Nugent.” Dean nodded, “ _Ted Nugent_ . That's my partner _Clem Burke_.”

The Sheriff looks to Angel, “Come on sweetheart. You look like the smart one here.” Dean bristled but she just raised a brow, the Sheriff took a breath shaking his head, “I'm not sure you two realize just how much trouble you're in here.”

Dean leaned forward, “We talkin', like, _misdemeanor_ kind of trouble or, uh, _squeal like a pig_ trouble?”

“You got the faces of ten missing persons taped to your wall.”

Angel looked over, “Squeal like a pig trouble for _sure_ , little brother.”

“Along with a whole lot of Satanic mumbo-jumbo.” The Sheriff continued, “You three are officially suspects.”

“Oh yes.” Angel happily agrees, “The world's _youngest_ female serial killer starts at age five, with her partner, _a three year old toddler_. Come on, law, you can do better than that.”

  
“I know you've got partners. One of 'em's an older guy. Maybe he started the whole thing. So tell me… _Dean. Angel_ .” The Sheriff tosses a brown leather-covered journal on the table, “ _This_ his?” 

The two stare at it, dumbfounded at why their dad would leave it behind as the Sheriff sits on the edge of the table, flipping through the journal: it's filled with newspaper clippings, notes, and pictures, just like what's on the walls of the motel room.

“I thought those might be your names. See, I leafed through this. What little I could make out- I mean, _it's nine kinds of crazy_ .” The two winchesters leaned forward for a closer look, “But I found this, too.” He opens the journal to a page that reads ‘ _DEAN/ANGEL 35-111_ ’, circled, with nothing else on that page, “Now… The both of you are stayin' right here till one of you tells me _exactly_ what the hell that means.”

Dean stares down at the page before turning to stare at his sister. 

“ _Thats_ what your panties are bunched up about?” She laughed and shook her head, “ _Man_ , you need to unclench. That's our alarm code for our old place in Denver. Wrote it down so we wouldn't forget.”

The Sheriff looked less than pleased at that answer but instead of commenting he got up and walked away. Hours ticked on and the Sheriff came by time and time again trying to get them to say what that number was. 

Dean scoffs this time, “I don't know how many times we gotta tell you… _It's our alarm code_.”

The Sheriff looked unconvinced, “We gonna do this all night long?”

“Evidentially _yes_.” Angel shifts, "It's not our fault you don’t like the answer.”

A deputy leans into the room, “We just got a 911, shots fired over at Whiteford Road.”

The Sheriff shot up then stopped to look at them, “Either of you have to go to the bathroom?” They shook their heads, “ _Good_.” 

Without saying anything else he turned and took off, Angel turning with him scoffing. When she turned back, Dean was holding a paper clip that was poking out of John's journal making her grin. They quickly uncuffed themselves, grabbed their dad’s journal, climbed down the fire escape and hauled ass to the nearest payphone. As soon as they were in Dean dialed Sam’s number.

He smiled when he answered, “Fake 911 phone call? Sammy, I don't know, that's pretty illegal.”

_“You're welcome.”_

“Sammy…” Angel squeezed into the booth next to Dean, “We gotta talk.”

“ _Tell me about it. So the husband was unfaithful. We are dealing with a woman in white. And she's buried behind her old house, so that should have been Dad's next stop.”_

Den rolled his eyes, “Sammy, would you shut up for a second?”

_“I just can't figure out why Dad hasn't destroyed the corpse yet._ ”

“Well, that's what we’re trying to tell you. He's _gone_ . Dad _left_ Jericho.”

“ _What? How do you guys know that?”_

Ange sighs, shifting, “Uh we’ve got his journal. He left it behind.”

“ _He doesn't go anywhere without that thing.”_

“Yeah, well, we can't say that anymore. He really is MIA.”

_Sam quieted, “What's it say?”_

Dean explained, “Ah, the same old ex-Marine crap when he wants to let us know where he's going.”

“ _Coordinates? Where to?”_

“We’re not sure yet.”

_“I don't understand. I mean, what could be so important that Dad would just skip out in the middle of a job?” He scoffs, “Guys, what the hell is going on?”_

On Sam's end, brakes squeaking to a stop sounded and then static and silence as the line went dead. 

“Sam? _Sam_?!”

**Section Five**

**_With Sam…_ **

Constance yelled at Sam from the backseat of the impala on the highway, “ _Take me home!”_

Sam’s hands tightened on the wheel, “ _No_.”

Constance glares hatefully and the doors lock themselves. Sam struggles to reopen them but the gas pedal pressed down and the car begins to drive itself. He tries to steer, but she is doing that too so he continues to try to get the door open. In the back seat, Constance flickers as the car pulls up in front of her old house and stops. The engine shuts off and so do the lights.  
  


Sam looked to her in the rearview, pleading, “Don't do this.”

Constance flickers, her voice sad, “ _I can never go home_.”

He studied her for a second, “You're scared to go home.” 

When he looks back, she isn't there. He then glances around and jumps back once he sees her in the shotgun seat. She climbs into his lap, shoving him back against the seat hard enough to recline it. 

“Hold me.” He struggles but she keeps him pinned, “I'm so cold.”

“You can't kill me.” Sam ground out, “I'm not unfaithful. I've never been!”

“You _will_ be. _Just hold me_.” 

She kisses him as he continues to struggle, reaching for the keys. She pulls back and disappears, a flash of something horrible behind her face as she vanishes. Sam looks around for a moment, then yells in pain and yanks his hoodie open. There are five new holes burned through the fabric, matching to her fingers. She flickers in front of him, her hand reaching into his chest. 

A gunshot goes off, shattering the window and startling Constance as well as Sam. Dean and Angel approach, with Dean ahead still firing at her. She glares at him and vanishes, then reappears, and Dean keeps firing until she disappears again. 

Angel cocked the rock salt gun and Dean moved out of the way, “Step off my brother, bitch.” 

She blasted the ghost away with a scream allowing Sam to sit up and start the car.

When she appeared yet again he put it in gear, “I'm taking you home.” 

Sam bolts the impala forward as Dean and Angel watch and smashes through the side of the house. The two of them hurry through the wreckage to the passenger side of the car.  
  


“Sam! ” Dean called worriedly, “You okay?”

He lugged but looked around in confusion, “I think…”

Angel looked him over, “Yeah… You're good, you're good, Sammy… You think you can move?” 

“Yeah…” He groaned, “Help me.”

Dean leans through the window to give Sam a hand as Constance picks up a large framed photograph. It’s of her and her children. As Dean closes the car door they look around and see Constance, who was glaring at them hatefully. She angrily throws the picture down. A bureau scoots towards the three, pinning them against the car. The lights flicker; and Constance looks around, scared. Water begins to pour down the staircase. She goes over and at the top are her kids from the photograph. 

They hold hands and speak in chorus, “You've come home to us, Mommy.”

Constance looks at them, distraught. Suddenly they are behind her embracing her tightly and she screams, her image flickering. In a surge of energy, still screaming, she and the two children melt into a puddle in the floor. The three move the bureau over and go look at the spot where Constance and her children vanished. 

Dean motioned, “So… _this_ is where she drowned her kids.”

Sam nods, “That's why she could never go home. She was too scared to face them.”

“Yeah well now she can’t kill anyone. You did good Sammy.” Angel grinned, “You found her weak spot. Nice work. Bet ya missed this huh?”

Dean laughs at his look and slaps Sam on the chest where he's been injured before walking away. 

Sam laughs through the pain before looking to Dean, “Yeah, I wish I could say the same for _you_ , Dean. What were you thinking shooting Casper in the face, you freak?”

“Hey. Saved _your_ ass.”

“Uh no actually it was _I_ who did the ass saving _…_ ” Angel corrected with a glare, “ _Ass.”_

Dean leans over to look at the car, “I'll tell you another thing.” He looks at Sam, “If you screwed up my car? _I'll kill you_.”

**Epilogue:**

_Shortly after dropping Sam off Dean and Angel had to rush to his rescue when Jess went up in flames on the ceiling, just like his mother. Just like that little Sammy was ripped back into the hunting life with an even bigger vendetta against the monster that killed his mother._


	2. Wendigo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Angel, Sam and Dean follow the coordinates left in their father's journal and land in the middle of the woods where they investigate the disappearance of several campers. The three soon learn they are dealing with a Wendigo, a creature made famous in Native American legends. A Wendigo is a former human whose cannibalism has transformed him into a creature with superhuman strength and speed that feasts on human flesh.

**DISCLAIMER:** I only own my character! Anything you might recognize is courtesy of the CW.

  
**WARNING:** Some of these episodes/chapters may contain graphic violence, cursing, mentions of suicide or assault and other triggering aspects. Proceed with caution please.

“How long’s he been missing?” Angel asked as she flipped through her dad's journal, “You thinkin’ he's just takin’ a little longer on the job or he's in trouble?”

_“He’s not really missing.” Ace sighed, “He just decided to jump into a job nuts first without backup.”_

“Well, you know Bucky…” She smirked into the phone, “He likes to show off but you always end up running in to save his ass.”

_He laughed, “Yeah, you’re right. Which is why I'm on my way to the town he's in now. You guys find your pops yet?”_

“We’re getting close I think. Hit some coordinates he left us.”

_“That's good. Keep me posted. I'll uh talk to you later, Kitten. Pullin’ in now.”_

“Alright, talk to you later, Ace.” When she hung up she saw the look her brother was giving her and silenced him, “ _Can it_ , Dean.”

“What?” He laughed, “I've just never seen you this… _comfy_ around a guy. Let alone a _hunter_.”

“Yeah… well… Asa’s a little different.”

“How?”

“I'll let you know _how,_ if it goes past wherever we’re at.” She sighed, “But for now lemme just feel it out.”

“Gotcha. But the next time i see him? He and I are having a _talk_.”

She laughed, “Alright _dad_. Do whatever you gotta do.”

When Dean turned another worrisome look to a sleeping Sam, he leaned forward and turned the radio on full blast. Sam jumped awake from the music and from whatever nightmare was currently plaguing him. He blinked a few times before rubbing his eyes as both of his siblings studied him with worry.

“You okay?”

Sam glanced at Dean before quickly looking away, “Yeah, I'm fine.”

Angel pursed her lips as she leaned forward, “‘Nother nightmare?”

Sam only offered her a throat clearing as an answer making her sigh.

Dean shifted in his seat, “You wanna drive for a while?”

Angel grinned as Sam laughed, “Dean, your whole life you never _once_ asked me that. You've asked _Angel_ but not _me_. This is the first.”

“Just thought you might want to.” Dean grumbled, “ _Never mind_.”

Angel shook her head, “Look, Sammy, he's just worried. _I'm worried_ too. I mean with Jess… are you sure you're okay?”

“I get you guys are worried about me and _thank you_ but really i'm perfectly _fine_ .” He dismissed, “ _Really_.” They nodded but looked less than convinced as he grabbed the map, “All right, where are we?”

Angel motioned, “We’re just outside of Grand Junction.”

Sam folded down the map, “You know what? Maybe we shouldn't have left Stanford so soon.”

“Sam…” Angel frowned, “We looked and looked. There was nothing.”

“Yeah… we dug around there for a week. If you wanna find the thing that killed Jessica-”

Sam finished, “We gotta find Dad first.”

“Yeah. That's gotta be what dads tracking.” Angel leaned on the driver's seat, “There's very few coincidences in this life and dad disappearing right when that thing pops back up is _not_ one.”

“Dad will have answers.” Dean nodded, “He'll know what to do.”

“It's weird, guys.” Sam shook his head, “These coordinates he left us… This _Blackwater Ridge_.”

“What about it?”

“There's nothing there. It's just woods.” Sam put the map down, “Why is he sending us to the middle of nowhere?”

Angel motioned outside, “Well… we’re about to find out.” 

They quickly drove past the National Forest sign that says, ‘ _Welcome to Lost Creek Colorado National Forest’_ before pulling into the ranger station

“So Blackwater Ridge is pretty remote.” 

Sam explained as he looked at a 3D map of the national forest inside the station. He paid particular attention to the ridge labeled ‘ _Blackwater Ridge_ ’. Dean looked around at all of the things that filled the station as Angel studied the map next to Sam.

Sam pointed, “It's cut off by these canyons here. There's rough terrain, dense forest, abandoned silver and gold mines all over the place.”

“Hm.” Angel looked over, “Whatever dad was huntin must be big and bad if it’s camping out here.”

Dean scoffed from behind them and pointed to a framed photograph, “ _Check out the size of this freaking bear_.”

Sam and Angel walked over, “And a dozen or more grizzlies in the area.” Sam commented, “It's no nature hike, that's for sure.”

“It's a good thing we’re all in shape boys.” Angel winked, “You ready to wrestle some grizzlies?”

  
A forest ranger, Ranger Wilkinson, walked up behind them. When he spoke, the Winchesters all whipped around, startled.

“You three aren't planning on going out near Blackwater Ridge by any chance?”

“Oh, no, sir, we're… environmental study majors from UC Boulder.” Sam forced a smile as he laughed, “Just working on a paper.” 

Dean grinned and raised a fist, “ _Recycle_ , man.”

The ranger didn't look an inch convinced, “ _Bull_.” Sam's eyes flicked between them, the three don't move as he points, “You're friends with that Haley girl, right?”

“Uh… _Yes_ .” Angel grinned, “ _Yes_ we are. Love that… _Haley_ . Haven't seen her… in _awhile_ to say the least...”

The ranger bristled, “Well I will tell _you_ exactly what we told _her_ . Her brother filled out a backcountry permit saying he wouldn't be back from Blackwater until the twenty-fourth, _so_ it's not exactly a missing person’s now, is it?” They shake their heads at his pointed glare, “You tell that girl to quit worrying. I'm sure her brother's just fine.”

“We will.” Dean smiled, “Well that Haley girl's quite a pistol, huh?”

“ _That_ is putting it mildly.”

“Actually you know what would help is if I could show her a copy of that backcountry permit. You know, so she could see her brother's return date.” 

The Ranger eyes Dean who raises his eyebrows, but complied with his request. As they exited the ranger station Dean held the piece of paper, laughing.

Sam gave him a look, “What, are you cruising for a hookup or something?”

“What do you mean?”

“He means: _dad left us coordinates that point to Blackwater Ridge so why aren't we just going straight there_? Why all the theatricts with the Haley chick?”

“ _I don't know_ …” Dean looks at them as they stop next to the impala, “Maybe we should know what we're walking into before we actually walk into it?”

“The kid’s probably just camping, Dean.” Angel pointed out, “I mean, he put in _dates_. What else could she tell us?”

“You said it yourself, since when are there coincidences with us in this life?”

“Alright, alright.” She put up her hands, “Lets go talk to her, but let's make it quick.”

Sam rolled his eyes, “I still think we should just stop wasting time and head into the ridge.”

“Since when are you two all ‘ _shoot first ask questions later’_?”

Sam glared before getting into the car, “Since _now_.”

Dean sent an impressed grin to Angel who rebuffed it, “Wipe that look off your face. That's not a good thing.”

**_The Collins House:_ **

“You must be Haley Collins.” Dean smiled charmingly when she opened the door, “I'm Dean, this is Sam and Angel. We're, ah, we're rangers with the Park Service. Ranger Wilkinson sent us over. He wanted us to ask a few questions about your brother Tommy.”

Haley hesitated as she studied them, “Lemme see some ID.” 

Sam quickly pulled out a fake ID with the name ' _Samuel Cole_ ' and held it up for her to study. 

She then opened the door wider, “Come on in.”

“Thanks.”

When the door swung open, she caught sight of the Impala, “That yours?”

Dean smirked, “Yeah.”

“Nice car.”

With a knowing smirk for Dean, she turned and led them into the kitchen. Angel quickly swatted her brother in the back of the head and mouthed for him to keep it in his pants. As they entered the kitchen they saw another young man sitting at the table on a laptop and motioned their hellos. 

Sam turned to Haley, “So if Tommy's not due back for a while, how do you know something's wrong?”

“He checks in every day by cell. He emails photos and stupid little videos- we haven't heard anything in over three days now.”

Angel nodded, “Maybe he just doesn't have reception.”

“He's got a satellite phone, too.”

“Could it be he's just having fun and forgot to check in?”

Ben, the youngest brother, piped up, “He wouldn't do that.” 

Dean eyed Ben, who looked away from him as Haley put more food on the table, “Our parents are gone. It's just my two brothers and me. We all keep pretty close tabs on each other.”

The three Winchester’s looked at eachother knowingly, “Can we see the pictures he sent you?”

“Yeah.” On a laptop, Haley pulled up pictures, “That's Tommy.” 

She clicked twice and another picture came up. Then the still frame opened the latest video.

_“Hey Haley, day six, we're still out near Blackwater Ridge. We're fine, keeping safe, so don't worry, okay? Talk to you tomorrow.”_

Sam and Angel each share a look as they spotted a shadow flicking across the screen. Their hunter radars immediately went off.

Dean turned to Haley, “Well, we'll find your brother. We're heading out to Blackwater Ridge first thing.”

“Then maybe I'll see you there.” At their questioning eye she explained, “Look, I can't sit around here anymore, so I hired a guy. I'm heading out in the morning, and I'm gonna find Tommy myself.”

Understanding filled Deans’ features, “I think I know how you feel.” He motioned between his siblings with a knowing look, “We all do.”

“Hey,” Sam motioned, “Do you mind forwarding these to me?”

“Sure.”

**_At a local bar…_ **

“Whats up, douches?” Angel smiled as she sat down in front of her brothers, she motioned to Sam when he closed his laptop, “Find anything good?”

“Groups of campers seem to go missing every 22-23 years.”

“Found that too, Sammy.” She handed over a newspaper article, “ _And_ I also found a potential lead. In fifty-nine one a camper survived one of these _supposed_ grizzly attacks. Just a kid. Barely crawled out of the woods alive.”

The boys look at _The Lost Creek Gazette_ curiously, “Is there a name?”

“They call him _Old Man Shaw_.” She smirked as she slid out of their booth, “Lets go. I already got an address.”

**_At the Shaw house…_ **

Old man Shaw led them inside as he lit a cigarette in his mouth, “ _Look_ , rangers, I don't know why you're asking me about this. It's public record. I was a kid. My parents got mauled by a-”

“Grizzly?” Sam interrupted pointedly, “ _That's_ what attacked them?”

Shaw took a long puff of his cigarette as a fearful look overtook his face.

Angel studied him, “And all the other victims that year? _Bear_ attacks?”

A long silence filled them before Dean continued, “What about all the people that went missing this year? Same thing?” Another pause as Old Man Shaw took a hard swallow, “If we knew what we were dealing with, we might be able to stop it.”

“I seriously doubt that. _Anyways_ , I don't see what difference it would make.” He shook his head as he sat down, “You wouldn't believe me. Nobody ever did.”

Sam sat down across from him, his eyes softening, “Mr. Shaw, what did you see?”

“Nothing… It moved too fast to see. It hid too well. I _heard_ it, though. A roar. Like… _no man or animal I ever heard_.”

“It came at night?” Shaw nodded, “Got inside your tent?”

“It got inside our _cabin_ . I was sleeping in front of the fireplace when it came in. It didn't smash a window or break the door. _It unlocked it_ .” His eyes widened, “Do you know of a _bear_ that could do something like that? I didn't even wake up till I heard my parents screaming.”

“It killed them?”

“Dragged them off into the night.” Shaws eyes became pained, “Why it left me alive… been asking myself that ever since.” His hands went to his collar, “Did leave me this, though.” 

He opened his collar to reveal three long scars. _Claw marks_. The three Winchesters leaned forward to study them as Shaw continued.

“There's something evil in those woods. It was some sort of a demon.”

**_Back at the motel..._ **

  
The three Winchesters walked the length of a corridor with rooms on either side discussing the case. 

Angel heaved a sigh, “Okay, so demons wouldn't go out of their way to pick off people in the woods and kill them. _And_ they don't have to unlock doors.”

Sam nodded, “So it's probably something else, something corporeal.”

“ _Corporeal_ ?” Dean repeated impressed, “Excuse _me_ , professor.”

“ _Shut up_.” He rolled his eyes, “So what do you think?”

Dean took a breath, thinking, “The claws, the speed that it moves… could be a skinwalker, maybe a black dog. Whatever we're talking about, we're talking about a creature, and it's _corporeal_ .” Dean pointed, “Which means _we can kill it._ ” 

They walked into the parking lot and Dean opened the trunk of the Impala. After propping open the weapons box with a shotgun, he started packing weapons into a duffel bag. 

Sam leaned in, “We _cannot_ let that Haley girl go out there.”

“Uh, yeah.” Angel nodded, earning an eye from Dean, “Kind of in agreement here. I mean they’re not hunters. It’s way too dangerous.”

“Oh yeah? What are we gonna tell her? That she can't go into the woods because of a big scary monster?”

“ _Yeah_.”

Dean centered them both, “Her _brother's_ missing, guys. She's not gonna just sit this out. Would you?” He looked to Angel who immediately shakes her head no, “Now we go _with_ her, we _protect_ her, _and_ we keep our eyes peeled for our fuzzy predator friend.” 

“ _Fine._ ” Angel raised a brow as he picked up his duffel bag, “But when we find it, one of us is staying back with them. We can't let another person die on our watch.”

“Alright. No arguments.”

“Finding Dad's not enough?” Sam slammed the weapons box shut, then the trunk earning glares from both siblings, “Now we gotta _babysit_ too?” They both stared at him, heated, “ _What_?”

“ _Nothing_.” 

Dean threw the duffel bag at Sam and walked off. Angel shook her head at her little brother before taking leave as well. She wouldn't say she was surprised at Sam's behavior. The loss of Jess and being catapulted back into this life was obviously taking its toll on him, but she just wished he’d relax with the intensity a little bit. Sam stared after them, emotion blazing in his eyes.

The next morning Dean pulled the impala up to the beginning of the forest where Haley and Ben stood talking with another man, Roy. They exited the car and Dean went to talk to Haley as Sam and Angel unloaded the Impala. 

Dean smiled, “You guys got room for three more?”

“Wait….” Haley eyed him, “You want to come with us?”

Roy glared from Dean to Angel and Sam, “Who are these guys?”

“ _Apparently_ this is all the park service could muster up for the search and rescue.”

Sam walked past everyone and Roy watched him closely before turning back to Dean and Angel, “You're _rangers_?”

“That's right.”

Haley looked them over, “And you're hiking out in biker boots, leather and jeans?”

“Sweetie.” Angel walked forward, “I don't _do_ cargo shorts.”

Dean laughed before winking at Haley and following his siblings.

Roy glared, “What, you think this is _funny_ ? It's dangerous backcountry out there. _Her brother might be hurt_.”

Sam and Angel turned back around, the latter giving Dean an annoyed look.

“Believe me…” Dean nodded, “We all know how dangerous it can be. We just wanna help them find their brother, that's all.”

**SECTION TWO**

The group hiked through the forest quietly. Roy led with Dean, Angel, Haley, Ben, and Sam following. The Winchesters were armed and ready as well as Roy. 

Dean eyed the man, “Roy, you said you did a little hunting?”

“Yeah, more than a _little_.”

“ _Uh-huh_. What kind of furry critters do you hunt?”

Angel threw him a look but he waved her back, “ _Dean_.”

Roy was oblivious, “Mostly buck, sometimes bear.”

Dean passed him, “Tell me, uh, _Bambi or Yogi_ ever hunt you back?”

Roy grabbed him by the collar and yanked him back earning a glare. Sam and Angel each tensed as well. Angel was about to go separate them but Sam stopped her as Dean glared down at the man. 

“Whatcha doin, Roy?”

Roy grabbed a stick and poked a bear trap Dean had almost stepped in.

He looked up and gave him a sarcastic smile, “You should watch where you're stepping… _Ranger_.”

Dean laughed tightly, looking at his sister, “It's a bear trap.”

“I see that.” Angel shook her head as Roy walked away, she motioned, “I don't like him.”

Dean laughed and repeated her words, “‘ _I see that_.’”

They hiked on but Haley soon hurried up to Dean, an annoyed look on her face as she grabbed his coat and twisted him to face her, “You didn't pack any provisions. You guys are carrying _duffel bags_. You're not rangers. So who the hell are you?”

Ben walked past Haley and Dean gave Sam and Angel an expression to go on by; to which they listened. 

Dean watches them go for a moment before turning back to Haley, “Sam, Angel and I are siblings, and we're looking for our father. He might be here, we don't know. I just figured that you and me, we're in the same boat.”

She frowned, “Why didn't you just tell me that from the start?”

“I'm telling you _now_ .” He shrugged, “‘Sides, it's probably the most honest I've ever been with a woman… _ever_.” He grinned, “So we okay?”

Haley paused but smirked, “Yeah… I guess.”

“And what do you mean I didn't pack provisions?” 

Dean quickly pulled out a big bag of peanut M&Ms and munched on them as he hiked on. 

**_Later on…_ **

Roy turned to the group as they came up on a small clearing, “This is it. Blackwater Ridge.”

Sam kept walking, “What coordinates are we at?”

Roy pulled out a GPS, “Thirty-five and minus one-eleven.”

Angel walked to her brothers, “This is weird… not a peep in the middle of the wilderness? Not even bugs?”

“Yeah.” Dean listened as well, “ _Eeery_.”

“I'm gonna go take a look around.”

Angel quickly intercepted Roy, “Not a good idea to do alone, _friend_.”

“That's cute, sweetheart.” He smiled earning a glare from her and the boys, “Don't worry about me.” 

Roy waved his gun and pushed between the boys and past Angel to retake the lead.

Angel shook her head, “I'll go with him.” She motioned, “You two babysit.”

“All right, everybody stays together.” Dean instructed the others as Angel and Roy walked off, “Let's go.”

Angel stopped abruptly when they came across Tommys camp site, “Holy hell…” 

It was completely demolished. The tents were ripped apart, blood smeared around and the belongings from all the bags were scattered around everywhere. The blood was even smeared around the trees and sleeping bags which were torn to shreds.

“Dean!” Angel yelled, “Sam! Get over here!”

The group ran to her immediately but came to a halt when they found the campsite. 

Grief overcame Haley at the sight before her, “Oh my god.”

“Looks like a grizzly.”

Angel shook her head at Roy, “No.” She motioned up to all the blood in the trees, “No way _that_ was a grizzly…”

“Tommy?!” Haley threw off her backpack and clamored through the campsite, “Tommy!”

“Hey-” Sam ran to her, “ _Shh_.”

“Tommy!”

_“Shh-hh-hh!”_

“Why?”

“Because whatever did this…” Angel motioned around as she surveyed the scratches, “That thing could still be lurking close to us. Screaming might not be the best idea. Unless you wanna lead it over here again.”

“Hey.” 

Dean barked and made eye contact with his siblings. They walked over and knelt next to him so he could whisper.

“The bodies were dragged from the campsite. But here, the tracks just vanish. That's weird.” They stood, “I'll tell you what, that's no skinwalker or black dog.”

“No doubt about that.” Angel agreed, “I've never seen their work look anything like this. This is something new for us.”

They quickly walked back to the campsite where Haley picked up Tom's bloody cell phone. She cried silently as she turned the phone over and the back was open. 

Dean crouched next to her, giving her a sympathetic stare, “Hey, he could still be alive.”

Haley gave him a look that said she wasn't exactly in agreement but before she could voice it a frantic voice was heard.

“Help! Help!” Roy led the way as everyone ran to the aid of the shooter, “Help! Somebody!”

But they found no one. Nothing but the empty, eerily silent forest. 

Haleys eyes frantically searched the surrounding area, “It seemed like it was coming from around here, didn't it?”

Sam swallowed a lump in his throat as he and Angel shared a grim look.

“Everybody back to camp!” 

Sam yelled hurriedly as he turned and ran, but when the team arrived, all the supplies were missing. Their packs were just gone.

Angel angered, “You've gotta be kidding me right now.” 

“So much for my GPS and my satellite phone.”

“What the hell is going on?”

“This…” Angel growled, “ _Thing_ is freaking toying with us.”

“It's _smart_.” Sam shook his head, “It wants to cut us off so we can't call for help.”

“You mean _someone_ ,” Roy corrected with a scowl, “Some nut job out there just stole all our gear!”

Dean joined Angel and Sam as they beckoned to him, “We need to speak. In private.” Once they were out of hearing distance Sam stopped, “Good. Let me see Dad's journal.” 

Angel watched him flip through it frantically, “What are you thinking, Sam?”

“ _This_.” He stopped at a pge and handed the book over, “Check that out.” 

The page was of a First Nations style drawing of a monster like figure.

Dean shook his head, “Oh come on… Wendigos are in the Minnesota woods or- or northern Michigan. I've never even heard of one this far west.”

“I don't know, Dean…” Angel commented as she read the passage, “This looks like our perp. The claws, the way it can mimic a human voice… I mean it's pretty spot on actually.”

Dean groaned, “ _Great_ .” He lifted his pistol, “Well then _this_ is useless.”

“Alright well this means Sam was right before when he said we shouldn't have brought these people along. These things are a bitch to kill, Dean.” Angel handed back John's journal, “We gotta get everybody to safety. _Now_.”

Once Sam led them back to the campsite he addressed the group, “All right, listen up, it's time to go.”

“He's right.” Angel nodded as she turned to Haley, “Look, things have gotten… _increasingly more complicated_. It's way too dangerous for you to be here.”

  
Haley crossed her arms, not understanding, “What?”

“Listen sweetheart, don't worry.” Roy grinned as he motioned back to his gun, “Whatever's out there, I think _I_ can handle it.”

“Okay, _you_ need to stop calling me _sweetheart_ .” Angels glare could probably burn a hole through him, “And it's not _me_ that we’re worried about. If you shoot this thing, you're just gonna make it mad. We have to leave. _Now_.”

“ _One_ , you're talking nonsense. _Two_ , you're in no position to give anybody orders.” He stepped up a little, “ _Sweetheart_.”

Angel was about to rear back and swing on him when Dean instantly came over to her and held her arms down.

He turned an annoyed eye to Roy, “ _Relax_.”

“We never should have let you come out here in the first place, all right?” Sam added walking over to the man, “We’re trying to protect you.”

Roy stepped right into Sam's space, “ _You_ protect _me_? I was hunting these woods when your mommy was still kissing you good night!”

“Yeah?” Sam scoffed angrily, “It's a damn near perfect hunter. It's smarter than you, and it's gonna hunt you down and eat you alive unless we get your stupid sorry ass out of here.”

Roy laughed, “You know you're crazy, right?”

“Yeah? You ever hunt a Wen-”

Dean quickly moved away from Angel and pushed Sam back as Haley stepped in between, “ _Roy_!”

“Chill out.” Dean pointed from Sam to Angel, “ _Both_ of you.”

Angel rolled her eyes, “Just let Sam kick his ass. _Or let me do it at least._ He's called me sweetheart like 43 times today.”

“ _Not helping_ , Angel.”

“ _Stop_ .” Haley commanded, “Stop it. Everybody just stop. _Look_ . Tommy might still be alive, and I'm _not_ leaving here without him.”

A long pause came over them as the Winchesters looked at one another then to her. Angel glared but motioned to Dean that they could stay even though it was a terrible idea.

“It's getting late.” Dean explained, “This thing is a good hunter in the day, but an unbelievable hunter at night. We'll never beat it, not in the dark. We need to settle in and protect ourselves.”

Haley watched him, “How?”

**SECTION THREE**

The group continued to build a campfire as Dean drew the symbols that would stop a Wendigo in the sand. Haley pokeD at the fire as she watched him then shifted to Angel, not quite believing what they were saying.

“ _One_ more time.”

“Hes drawing Anasazi symbols for protection.” She explained as she surveyed, “They can't cross over these things so we should be good for the night.”

Roy laughed with a gun slung over his shoulder and Dean glared from where he stood, “Nobody likes a skeptic, Roy.” 

He motioned for Angel to follow him and they went over to sit next to Sam. He’s at the edge of the campsite sulking.

“You wanna tell us what's going on in that freaky head of yours?”  
  
“Dean-”

  
“Oh don't even try to say you're fine, Sammy.” Angel interrupted, “You're so far from fine there's no line anymore, buddy. 

Dean nodded in agreement, “You're like a powder keg, man, it's not like you. _I'm_ supposed to be the _belligerent_ one, and _Angels_ the _bitchy/moody_ one. _You're_ the _reasonable_ one, remember?”

Angel glared, “ _Classy_.”

“See.” Dean motioned, “ _Moody_.”

Sam laughed for a second but it was quickly turned into a frown, “Dad's not here. I mean, that much we know for sure, right? He would have left us a _message_ , a _sign_ , right?”

  
Dean sighed heavily, “Yeah, you're probably right… Tell you the truth, I don't think Dad's ever been to Lost Creek.”

“Probably not.”

“Then let's get these people back to town and let's hit the road. _Go find Dad_. I mean, why are we still even here?”

“ _This_ is why.” Dean held up John's journal, “This book. This is Dad's single most valuable possession. Everything he knows about every evil thing is in here, and he's passed it on to us. I think he wants us to pick up where he left off. You know, _saving people, hunting things_.”

  
Sam shook his head, “That makes no sense.”

“It makes perfect sense, Sam.” Angel smiled knowingly, “I know you don't like it but… _It's the family business_.”

“Well why doesn't he just- I don't know, _call us_ ? Why doesn't he tell us what he wants, _tell us where he is_?”

  
“Dunno.” Dean shrugged, “But the way I see it, Dad's giving us a job to do, and I intend to do it.”

“Same.” Angel agreed, “These people need help and a wendigo needs to be killed. We gotta do the job.”

“ _No_ , I gotta find Dad. _I gotta find Jessica's killer_.” His hands tensed into fists as he stared at them, “It's the only thing I can think about.”

“Sam… we’re gonna find who or _what_ killed Jessica and Mom.” Angel squeezed his shoulder, “I can promise you that.”

“You've gotta prepare yourself though.” Dean interjected carefully, “I mean, this search could take a while, and all that anger… You can't keep it burning over the long haul. It's gonna kill you. You gotta have patience, man.”

Sam looked away from them and took a minute to collect himself. When he turned back pain was evident in his eyes.

“How do you two do it? How does _Dad_ do it?”

Angel looked over at Haley and Ben, “Well for one… _them_ . Sammy, our family’s been messed up our whole life but right now, _because of this job_ , we can help other people. _We save other people_. That definitely makes things a little bit more bearable.”

“I'll tell you what else helps.” Sam looked to Dean when he spoke, “ _Killing as many evil sons of bitches as I possibly can._ ”

A twig snapped in the distance before a man's scream was heard once again, “Help me! Please!”

  
Dean and Angel immediately stood and readied their weapons as Sam shined his flashlight into the forest. They could see something moving at an inhuman speed in the distance. 

“Help! Help me!”

“He's trying to draw us out.” Dean said as he looked around the trees, following the fast moving creature, “Just stay cool, _stay put_.”

  
Roy glared over, “ _Inside the magic circle_?”

“ _Roy_ ,” Angel growled, “Shut up for once.”

“Help!” Angry growling and tearing sounded, “Help me!” 

Fear filled Roys face as he pointed the gun at the sound, “Okay, that's no grizzly.”

“Believe us now?”

“It’s okay.” Haley held Ben close, “You'll be alright, I promise.”

  
Something rushed past them making Haley shriek in fear. 

Sam quickly backed everybody up, “It's here.”  
  
Roy shot at the rustling, then again, “I hit it!” 

He bolted after the thing immediately, ignoring the calls behind him.

“Roy no!” Angel yelled, “ _Damn it_.” 

She quickly bolted after him. She was right on his heels as she held her flare gun tightly, also ignoring the calls from her brothers.

“Angel! Stop!” 

“Angel!”

They boys both frantically yelled after her but she didn't listen, “Crap.” Dean turned to Haley and Ben, “ _Don't move_.” 

Haley's held a stick, burning at one end, as a weapon. She watched in terror as Dean and Sam ran after Roy and Angel

“It's over here!” Roy yelled, “It's in the tree!”  
  


“Roy stop!” Angel commanded, “You pissed it off. We need-”

The Wendigo reached down from the tree and quickly snapped Roys neck before grabbing Angel and taking off. She screamed as it grabbed her but the sound was instantly cut off just as the boys made it to them.

“Angel!” 

“No!” 

Sam shined the flashlight around frantically but they couldn't see or hear her.

**SECTION FOUR**

Sam sat against a hollow tree stump as he held John's journal. His face was tense as he played with the lanyard attached to it. Dean was trying to stay as calm as he could so he didn't upset Haley or Ben but both boys felt like they were at their wits end. First their father went missing and now their sister had been taken.

Haley shook her head, crying, “I don't… I mean, these types of things, they aren't supposed to be real.”

Dean's gaze hardened, “I wish I could tell you differently.”

“How do we know it's not out there watching us?”

“We don't. But we're safe for now.” 

His mind drifted to Angel though and how she wasn't while they just sat and waited.

“How do you know about this stuff?”

Dean paused, considering his words to her before he answered, “Kind of… runs in the family.”

Sam, not being able to sit anymore got up and walked over to them. 

He looked between them as Haley stood, “Hey. So… we've got half a chance in the daylight, and I for one want to kill this evil son of a bitch and find Angel.”

Dean grinned, “Well, _hell_ , you know I'm in.”

Sam showed the Wendigo page of John's journal to Haley and Ben, “ _Wendigo_ is a Cree Indian word. It means ' _evil that devours_ '.”

“They're hundreds of years old. Each one was once a man. Sometimes an Indian, or other times a frontiersman or a miner or hunter.”

“How's a man turn into one of _those_ things?”

Dean picked a couple things up off the ground, “Well, it's always the same. During some harsh winter a guy finds himself starving, cut off from supplies or help. Becomes a cannibal to survive, eating other members of his tribe or camp.”

Ben pointed, “Like the Donner Party.”

Sam nodded, “Cultures all over the world believe that eating human flesh gives a person certain abilities. _Speed, strength, immortality_.”

“If you eat enough of it, over years, you become this less than human thing. You're always hungry.”

“So if that's true, how can Tommy still be alive?” Haleys eyes snapped to Dean, “How can either of them still be alive?”

Dean's jaw tensed as he threw a strong look at Sam, then back to Haley, “More than anything… a wendigo knows how to last long winters without food. It hibernates for years at a time, but when it's awake it keeps its victims alive. It, uh, it _stores_ them, so it can feed whenever it wants. If your brother's alive, _if our sister is_ , it's keeping them somewhere dark, hidden, and safe. We gotta track it back there.”

“And then how do we stop it?”

“Well, guns are useless, so are knives. Basically-“

Dean held up the can of lighter fluid, a beer bottle, and the white cloth he'd picked up, “ _We gotta torch the sucker_.”

**_With Angel…_ **

Angel grimaced as she woke up from the pain in her body. Her head was pounding and there was wetness on her forehead so she was pretty sure had been knocked out. Her wrists were tied up with rope and she was hooked onto something above making it so she was only just able to touch her toes to the ground. Flashes of running after Roy and then getting snatched and knocked out by that huge monster flashed in her head. She nearly started panicking before her survival mode kicked on.

Calming herself down she tried to look around at where she was but was fairly dark. A mine shaft was letting in enough light so she could see two men hanging by their wrists from the ceiling a few feet away from her. As well as an assortment of other corpses with them. 

Before she could say anything to them an angry terrifying growling cut her off. The man closest to her, one she recognized as a very disheveled and injured Tommy, turned to her and started shushing her immediately. His eyes were frenzied and terrified as he warned her to keep quiet. A memo the man next to him couldn't do.

As a tall skinny shape walks to them, the second man begins to scream in terror. Tommy did his best to turn away and closed his eyes tightly as the man beside him screamed. Angel grew petrified as she watched, trying to loosen her restraints with no luck.

**_Forest: One Day Later_ **

Sam led the way through the woods, Molotov cocktail in hand. Haley followed, then Ben and finally Dean. He stopped and studied the claw marks and blood that marred the trees. 

Dean caught up to him at the hesitation, “What is it?”

Sam motioned to the trees where there were more bloody claw marks and broken branches, “You know… I was thinking, those claw prints are so clear and distinct. They were almost too easy to follow.” 

Angry growling sounded and the boys whipped around as the trees rustled. Haley, who was standing under a tree, looked down when blood dripped on her shirt. She then leaped out of the way as Roy’s corpse landed where she'd stood.  
  


Dean bolted over to the body, his heart accelerating as the worst was running through his mind.

Sam went to Haley, “You okay?” When she nodded he looked to Dean, steeling himself, “Who is it?”

“Roy.” Dean answered, relief was evident but he was still grim. “His neck is broken.”

Sam helped Haley up as more growling filed the forest around them.

Dean rushed the group, “Okay, run, run, go!”

Everybody took off but Ben fell to the ground almost immediately. Sam doubled back to help him up, dividing the group two and two.  
  
He grabbed him to standing, “Come on, I gotcha, I gotcha.” 

Once they took off again they were startled to hear Haleys scream echo throughout the forest. Sam sprinted even faster at that, as did Ben.

Dean looks around, “Where’s Haley? She was right behind me!”

“Haley!”

Ben and Sam stop when they find the Molotov cocktail Dean had been holding on the ground, shattered.

Sam whirls around, even more panic surging through him, “Dean!”

**SECTION FIVE**

Ben's voice was shaky as he and Sam walked through the forest, “If it keeps its victims alive, why would it kill Roy?”

“Honestly? I think because Roy shot at it, he pissed it off.”

Ben sniffled, trying to pull himself together at the loss of his siblings, when something on the ground caught his eye. He bent and picked it up curiously, a smirk on his lips when he saw it was a trail of peanut M&M’s.

Ben quickly turned to Sam, “They went this way!”

Sam turned and quickly jogged over to him. A smile overtook his features as he realized what it was.

He chuckled, “It's better than breadcrumbs.”

  
Sam tossed the M&M away and the two of them followed the trail closely. They come to a mine entrance marked with a sign that says: _WARNING! DANGER! DO NOT ENTER! EXTREMELY TOXIC MATERIAL_. The boys looked at each other before Sam shrugged and led the way inside, Ben following closely. 

Once inside the mine Sam shined the flashlight ahead of them. Familiar angry growling was heard and he hurriedly shut the thing off before pulling Ben against the wall. As the Wendigo came toward them slowly, Sam covered Ben's mouth before he could scream. Instead of attacking them, it took a different tunnel at the crossing. The boys continued to quietly head the opposite way. As they walked slowly, the floorboards creaked. It was their only warning before they fell through the floor and landed on a pile of bones. A pile of human skulls also lay nearbys. As soon as Ben spotted them, he lept backward.  
  


Sam took his arm, “Hey, it's okay, it's okay.”

Dean's voice croaked, “ _Sam_ , over here.” 

They both looked up to see him and Haley strung up by their wrists hanging from the ceiling beside Angel. Dean and Haley were both awake and coherent but Angel was scratched up, bloody and passed out.

Sam ran to his sister first as Ben ran to Haley. He gently shook her and tapped her cheek but she didn't stir. Hurrying to Dean, Sam quickly cut him down and they both rushed back over to Angel.

“ _Angel_.” Dean shook her a little rougher than Sam did, “Ang, wake up.”

She slowly opened her eyes and both boys relaxed slightly.

Dean looked at her carefully, “You ain't lookin so hot, sis.”

“I’m fine.” She winced, “I'm still breathing at least.”

Haley groaned from beside them, “Get us down.”

Sam quickly cut Angel down as Dean made sure she didn't fall and bust her face more than it already was. After Ben helped Haley they helped both women over to an empty patch of floor and got them sat down. Angel hissed in a breath and grabbed her ribs as Sam sat her down.

He stayed kneeling beside her, “You sure you're alright?”

“Yeah, I’m good.” She grimaced once more but waved her brothers worried look off, “Where is that thing? Did you get it?”

“No.” Sam shook his head, “But he’s gone for now.”

Haley quickly got the rest of the rope off of her wrists and stood. As soon as she spotted her brother Tom she cried and ran over to him.

“Tommy…” 

She touched his cheek gently and his head jerked up. She jumped back and shrieked before turning to Sam and Dean.

“Cut him down!” They ran over to do so as she held her brother's gaze, “We're gonna get you home.”

Angel looked over and smiled when she noticed the pile of stolen supplies a few feet away, “Check it out.”

  
“Flare guns.” Sam grinned, “That'll work.”

Dean smiled when she threw him one and laughed as he twirled the guns. After cutting Tommy down and helping him and Angel to their feet the group hurried down the tunnel. Dean and Sam led with their flare guns as Angel limped and held her ribs behind them. Haley and Ben supported Tom, who was limping as well but was in worse shape than the others who were taken.

Growling broke the silence around them and Dean stopped, “Looks like someone's home for supper.”

Fear clouded Haley’s voice, “We'll never outrun it.”

“Oh, for sure.” Angel looked between her brothers, “We need a plan, guys.”

Dean studied her before looking back at the others then to Sam, “You thinking what I'm thinking?”

“Yeah, I think so.”

“Guys-”

“You’re hurt. You can’t run.” Dean dismissed Angel immediately before turning to the other three, “Alright, listen to me. Stay with Sam and Angel. They’re gonna get you out of here.”

Haley frowned, “What are you gonna do?”

Dean winked before he started walking and yelling, “Chow time, you freaky bastard! Yeah, that's right, bring it on, baby, _I taste good_!”

The rest of Dean's words grew indistinct the further away he got. They waited until he was a safe distance away before Sam began to move. 

Sam put an arm around Angel so he could help her move faster, “Alright, come on!” He threw a look over his shoulder, “Hurry!”

They ran, hurrying down the tunnel but the growling followed them instead of Dean. 

Sam pointed the gun at it before he lowered it and turned to Angel, “Get them outta here.”

The blood drained from her face, “Sam, _no_.”

“Go!” He yelled back with more conviction, “ _Go_!”

“Damn it!” She turned to the others, “Let’s go!” 

Quickly she hurried them down the tunnel to the light as Sam held his ground with the flare gun at the ready.

“Come on. Come on.” 

Growling could be heard again and he quickly turned. The Wendigo was right in his face. He shot at it but missed then sprinted after his sister and the Collins.  
  


Relief flooded Angel's face as he caught up, “Sam!” 

Then the grim reality hit her as he grabbed her roughly and took off with the group.

“Come on, hurry, hurry, hurry.” 

They ran to the end of the tunnel which turned out to be a dead end instead of an exit like they thought it was. TheWendigo roared angrily right behind them. 

Sam shuffled Angel and the rest of them behind him, “Get behind me.” 

The thing stalked them slowly. It growled angrily, ready to attack but taking its time. 

Dean quietly came up behind it, “Hey!” 

The Wendigo turned and Dean shot it in the stomach. The flare exploded and the Wendigo went up in flames. 

He grinned at the group, “Not bad, huh?”

**EPILOGUE**

Later on in the night an ambulance loaded up Tom as two Police Officers interviewed Ben, Sam, and Angel, who had already been patched up. 

The Officer looked at Ben dumbfounded, “And the bear came back again after you yelled at it?”

“That's when it circled the campsite. I mean, this grizzly must have weighed eight hundred, _nine hundred_ pounds.”

Sam nodded as did Angel, “We pissed it off.” She laughed, “Guess we know that’s not what you do to fend off grizzlies.”

The officer nodded, “Alright, we'll go after it first thing.”

After he walked off, Haley turned to Dean, “So… I don't know how to thank you.” Dean smirked mischievously, making Haley smile despite herself, “Must you cheapen the moment?”

“ _Yeah_.”

A paramedic walked up to Haley, “You riding with your brother?”

“Yeah.” The paramedic heads back to the ambulance and she turned to Ben, “Let's go.” Ben nodded goodbye to Sam and Angel as Haley leaned over and kissed Dean on the cheek, “I hope you find your father.” As they headed for the ambulance she waved, “Thanks Sam. Thanks Angel.”

They climbed in the ambulance with Tom who was shirtless and bandaged as Sam sat on the Impala's hood with his siblings. 

Dean grimaced looking himself over, “Man, I hate camping.”

Sam nodded, “Me too.”

“ _Same_.” Angel looked at them grimacing a little, “How about we let the next camping/wendigo trip fall into Asas lap? Sounds good?”

“Sounds perfect.” Dean nodded and sent an eye to their little brother, “Sam, you know we're gonna find Dad, right?”

“Yeah, I know. But in the meantime?” He looked over with a smirk, “I'm driving.”

Angel laughed as Dean stayed still for a moment but then gave him a look when he tossed the keys to Sam, “Wait… you're kidding?”

“Nope.”

Sam grinned, “Get in the car.”


	3. Skin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Angel, Sam and Dean come to the aid of Sam's old college buddy after he is accused of a murder he swears he didn't commit. The three discover a shapeshifter is adopting the likenesses of others and murdering people. They race to stop the shapeshifter and things take a terrifying turn when he shifts into the likeness of Dean.

**DISCLAIMER:** I only own my character! Anything you might recognize is courtesy of the CW.

  
**WARNING:** Some of these episodes/chapters may contain graphic violence, cursing, mentions of suicide or assault and other triggering aspects. Proceed with caution please.

_Previously skipped: Dead in the Water, Phantom Traveler, and Bloody Mary…_

As Dean pulled into a local gas station, Angel read the map from the passenger seat, “Okay… If we keep the pace we should hit Tucumcari by lunch. From there we go south and we’re in Bisbee by midnight.” She turned to Dean, “We can crash there until morning. Sound good?”

“Fine with me.” 

He nodded and she looked into the rearview to see Sam once again staring intently at his phone, “ _Sam_ , you good with that?” At his silence she frowned, “ _Hello_?”

Dean raised a brow, “ _Sam wears women’s underwear._ ”

“I’ve been listening.” He said as he frowned at his PalmPilot, “I’m just busy.”

“Okay…” Angel turned to him questioningly as Dean got out to pump gas, “Busy with _what_ exactly?”

“Reading emails.”

“ _From_?”

“From my friends at Stanford.”

“You’re kidding.” Dean chuckled, “You still keep in touch with your college buddies?”

“ _Dean_.” Angel shook her head as she turned back around, “Leave him alone.”

Sam bristled, “Why _wouldn't_ I stay in contact with them?”

“I’m just sayin…” Dean came back over to his window, “What exactly do you tell them? You know, about where you’ve been, what you’ve been doin’?”

“I tell them I’m on a road trip with my big brother and sister. _I tell them I needed some time off after Jess_.”

“Oh, so you _lie_ to them.”

“Dean.” Angel breathed out, “Didn't I just tell you to leave him alone? He can keep in contact with whoever he wants. Thats none of our business.”

“And it's not lying.” Sam frowned, “I just don’t tell them… _everything_.”

“Yeah, that’s called _lying_ . Hey, man, I get it.” He laughed a little, “Telling them the truth is _far_ worse.”

“Technically you could call this a road trip.” Angel pursed her lips, “Repetitive classic rock, bad junk food and bickering siblings… Those are all the ingredients for one.”

“Yeah, well, we’re not headed to _Disney_ or the _Grand Canyon_ .” Dean countered, “So he's still _lying_.”

“So, what am I supposed to do, just cut everybody out of my life?” He scoffed at Dean's shrug, “ _You’re serious_?”

He shrugged, “Look, _it sucks_ , but in a job like this, you can’t get close to people, _period_.”

“ _Please_ .” Sam snickered before shaking his head and going back to his PalmPilot, “ _You're_ just anti-social. Hunters can have friends. Angels got a lot of friends. She's _literally_ dating somebody.”

“ _Okay_ .” She put a finger up, “We’re not _dating_ , doofus.”

“That's different anyway.” Dean shook his head, “He’s a _hunter_ and i guarantee all the _‘friends’_ she has right now are _his_ friends. She's more anti-social than me.”

Angel glared, “Didn't I tell you to shut up like an hour ago?”

“ _God…_ ”

Dean knelt back down to the window as Angel turned, “What?”

“In this email from this girl, Rebecca Warren, one of those friends of mine-”

“Is she hot?”

Sam pointedly ignored him, “I went to school with her and her brother, Zack. She says Zack’s been charged with murder. He’s been arrested for killing his girlfriend. Rebecca says he didn’t do it, but… it sounds like the cops have a pretty good case.”

“Jeeze.” Angel's brows raised as she turned completely around to look at him, “What kind of people they breeding at Stanford? _These are your friends_?”

“No, I _know_ Zack.” Sam shook his head, “He’s no killer.”

Dean turned a knowing eye on him, “Well, maybe you know Zack as well as he knows you.”

“They’re in St. Louis.” Sam turned to Dean, “ _We’re going_.”

Dean chuckled at that as Angel shook her head, “Look, Sammy, i’m sorry you got a _murder-bomb_ dropped on you just now but this isnt our thing. _This is a cop thing_.” She motioned to the map, “I've got our kind of thing lined up for us.”

“It is our problem, Angel.” Sam pressed in frustration, “ _They’re my friends_.”

“We can't do anything to help this guy, Sam.” She argued, “Unless you want us to bust him out of prison. Which again, _that's not our thing_.”

“Besides…” Dean backed her up, “St. Louis is four hundred miles _behind_ us, Sam.”

Sam kept his glare with Dean for a second before he gave in. Rolling his eyes he looked to Angel before putting the gas nozzle back on the handle and getting into the car. A second later they pulled out of the gas station and started driving towards St. Louis.

**_Rebecca's house…_ **

The three Winchesters waited outside Rebecca's house as Sam knocked. A blonde quickly opened the door and grinned excitedly at the sight of Sam.

“Oh my God, _Sam_!”

He grinned, “Well, if it isn’t little Becky.”

She rolled her eyes and took him in for a hug, “You know what you can do with that ‘ _little Becky’_ crap.”

“I got your email.”

“I didn’t think that you would come here…”

Dean quickly stepped forward and extended his hand, “ _Dean_ . Older brother.” She shook his hand as he motioned to Angel, who was already studying the fellow blonde, “ _Angel_ . Older sister. _Much older_.”

Angel quickly pinched the back of his arm making him jump before shaking Rebecca's hand, “Nice to meet you.”

The woman offers her a friendly smile, “Nice to meet you too.”

“We’re here to help.” San nodded, “Whatever we can do.”

She motioned as she held the door wider, “Please, come in.”

As they walked inside Dean looked around at the huge house clad with expensive vases and paintings, “Nice place.”

“It’s my parents’.” Rebecca explained as she led them through, “I was just crashing here for the long weekend when everything happened. I decided to take the semester off. I’m gonna stay until Zack’s free.”

Sam looked down at her, “Where are your folks?”

“They live in Paris for half the year, so they’re on their way home now for the trial.” She led them to the kitchen before stopping by the fridge, “Do you three want a beer or something?”

Dean instantly smiled as he pointed at her happily, “Hey-”

“No.” Angel cut him off quickly, seeing Sams glare already starting, “We’re fine thanks.”

Dean looked less than pleased but Sam caught her attention once more, “So…” He leaned on the counter offering soft eyes, “Tell us what happened.”

“Well, um, Zack came home, and he found Emily tied to a chair. And she was beaten up and bloody, and she wasn’t breathing. So he…” Her voice broke as she tried and failed to hold back the tears, “He called 911, and the police- they showed up, and they arrested _him_ . But, the thing is, the _only_ way that Zack could’ve killed Emily is if he was in _two_ places at the same time. The police- they have a video. It’s from the security tape from across the street. And… It shows Zack coming home at _10:30_ . Now, Emily was killed just after that, but I _swear_ , he was _here_ with _me_ , having a few beers until at _least_ after midnight.”

“You know, maybe we could see the crime scene…” Sam offered, “Zack’s house.”

Dean looked between them, “We could?”

“Why?” She looked to Sam curiously, “I mean, what could you do?”

“Well, _me_ , not much.” Sam motioned, “But Angel and Dean are both cops.”

Dean laughed at that before recovering when Sam glared, “ _Detectives_ , to be exact. Actually-”

“Deans training under me.” Angel interjected before Dean could get snarky, earning a glare, “He just started a few months ago.”

“Really?” They both nodded, “Where?”

“Bisbee, Arizona.” Dena answered, “But we’re off-duty now.”

“You guys, it’s so nice to offer, but I just…” She shook her head sadly, “I don’t know.”

“Beck, look.” Sam studied her, “I _know_ Zack didn’t do this. Now, we have to find a way to _prove_ that he’s innocent.”

She held his gaze for a second before conceding, “Okay. I’m gonna go get the keys.”

As she walked away down the hall Dean whistled and turned to his brother, “Oh, yeah, man, you’re a real _straight shooter_ with your friends.”

“ _Look_ , Zack and Becky need our help.”

“ _I just don’t think this is our kind of problem_ .” Dean scoffed and turned to Angel, “I mean, _right_?”

She pursed her lips and shrugged, “Two places at once kind of sounds like it _could_ be our thing. _Plus_ , we drove all the way out here. We may as well sift through it a little.”

Sam nodded, knowing he already won the argument, “We’ve looked into less.”

Dean's shoulders dropped and he sighed heavily, defeated.

**_Zach's house…_ **

Dean, Sam, Angel and Rebecca park the Impala and get out.

Becky looked between Angel and Dean, “You’re sure this is okay?”

“Oh, yeah.” Dean nodded sending a glare to Sam, “We _are_ officers of the law.”

Rebecca stayed on the porch steps as the Winchesters quickly entered Zacks house and spread out to look around. The furniture and walls were all smeared with blood and several things along the table were also soaked in blood.

Upon seeing this, Sam turned to his friend, “Beck, you wanna wait outside?”

“No.” She quickly ducked under the police tape and entered behind him, “I wanna help.”

Angel's eyes widened as she studied the mess before her, “Can you tell us everything the police said?”

Becky tried to contain her tears as she spoke, “Well… There was no sign of a break-in. They say that Emily let her attacker in. And the lawyers- they’re already talking about a plea bargain.” She looked around the room and held herself as she started to cry, “ _Oh, God_ …”

“Look, Bec…” Sam caught her attention away from the wreckage and blood, “If Zack didn’t do this, it means someone _else_ did. Any idea who?”

She shook her head but stopped once something came to memory, “Um, there was something, about a week before. Somebody broke in here and stole some clothes- _Zack’s clothes_. The police- they don’t think it’s anything. I mean, we’re not that far from downtown. Sometimes people get robbed.” She turned and walked with Sam as he came over to his siblings who were watching the neighbors house bark and howl wildly, “You know… that used to be the sweetest dog.”

“What happened?”

“He just… _changed_.”

Angel nodded, “You remember around when?”

“I guess around the time of the murder.”

As she walked away Dean looked to Angel and she nodded, “Looks like we might actually have a case.”

They joined Sam in the kitchen where he was looking at a picture of him, Zach and Rebecca on the fridge, “So, the neighbor’s dog went psycho right around the time Zack’s girlfriend was killed.”

“Animals can have a sharp sense of the paranormal.”

“Oh yeah.” Angel nodded, “Maybe Fido saw something.”

Sam looked pointedly between them, “So, you think maybe this _is_ our kind of problem?”

“No-”

“ _Maybe_.” Angel interjected, “We need to see the security tape before we make any decisions.”

Dean turned to Rebecca when she walked over, “So, the tape. The security footage- you think maybe your lawyers could get their hands on it? We don't have that kind of jurisdiction.”

“I’ve already got it. I didn’t wanna say something in front of the cop.” Dean chuckled as she continued, “I, um, I stole it off the lawyer’s desk. I just had to see it for myself.”

“Works for me.” Angel motioned for her to lead the way, “Let's go watch it.”

They all gathered in the living room of Rebecca's house as she played the security footage. Sam and Angel were more towards the front studying it as Dean hung back.

Rebecca's voice sounded from beside Dean, “Here he comes.”

The tape showed Zack entering his house at approximately 22:04.

Dean noticed the timestamp and looked down to Rebecca, “22:04, that’s just after ten. You said time of death was about 10:30.”

“Our lawyers hired some kind of video expert. He says the tape’s authentic. It wasn’t tampered with.”

Angel noticed something glint in the tape and quickly took the remote from her brother to play it again. Her face turned grim as she turned to Sam who also had a frown present on his face.

He turned, “Hey, Beck, can we take those beers now?”

“Oh, sure.”

As she got up to go to the kitchen, Sam called after her and she turned, “Hey, uh… Maybe some sandwiches, too?”

She chuckled and shook her head, “What do you think this is, _Hooters_?”

As she left the room Dean smirked, “ _I wish_.” He got up and walked over to his siblings, “What is it?”

“Look at this…” 

Angel rewound the tape and replayed it. One of the frames showed Zack looking directly at the camera but his eyes were bright silver.

She paused the tape, “Now _that's_ not normal.”

“It could just be a camera flare.”

Sam shook his head, “That’s not like any camera flare I’ve ever seen. You know, a lot of cultures believe that a photograph can catch a glimpse of the soul.”

Dean looked to her, “Right.”

“Okay, so Cujo back there probably saw whatever this guy was and it triggered him.” Angel explained, “It could be some evil dark double or something.”

Sam nodded, “Something that looks like him but isn’t him.”

Dean looked between them, “Oh, like a _Doppelganger_.”

“Yeah. It’d sure explain how he was two places at once.”

**SECTION TWO**

**_The next morning…_ **

“Alright.” Dean glared as he sipped his coffee after getting out of the Impala, “What are we doing here at 5:30 in the morning?”

“I realized something.” Sam explained, “The videotape shows the killer going in, but not coming out.”

Dean leaned against the hood of his car, “So, he came out the back door?”

“Ah…” Angel nodded, “You're looking for a trail.”

“A trail the police would never pursue.”

“Right…” Angel nodded, “Cause, to them, the killer never left. They caught him inside.”

Dean rolled his eyes, “ still don’t know what we’re doin’ here at 5:30 in the morning.”

Sam ignored him as he looked around the outside of the building, and noticed blood smeared on a nearby telephone pole, “Blood. _Somebody_ came this way.”

“Yeah, but the trail ends.” Dean pointed out, “I don’t see anything over here.”

An ambulance sped past them, and they exchanged looks before following it. Once at the house, they observed the scene quietly from a couple feet away. They watched as the police handcuffed a man and put him in the back of a squad car. Angel left them for a few seconds to talk to one of the neighbors at the scene.

Once she came back Dean regarded her, “What happened?”

“Neighbor said he tried to kill his wife. Tied her up and beat her.” Her eyes cut to Sam, “Also said she thought he was a nice guy. Always waved hello and smiled at her in the morning.”

**_Later on…_ **

Sam stood outside of the house as he looked around. He looked inside two garbage cans but didn't find anything. He moved to the front of the house where Dean and Angel came up behind him.

“Okay…” Dean huffed and looked to Sam once he turned around, “Remember when I said this wasn’t our kind of problem?”

“Yeah?”

“ _Definitely_ our kind of problem.”

“What’d you guys find out?”

“We just talked to the patrolman who was first on the scene to hear this guys story.” Angel crossed her arms, “This Alex guy was in the middle of driving home from a business trip when his wife was attacked.”

“So, he was in _two places at once_.”

“ _Exactly_.” Dean continued, “Then he sees himself in the house, police think he’s a nutjob.”

Sam's brows furrowed as he thought, “Two dark doubles attacking loved ones in exactly the same way…”

“ _No_ , i think it's the same thing doing it.” Angel eyed them grimly, “I think we’re dealing with a shifter.”

“Shapeshifter?” Angel nodded and Dean shrugged, “Something that can make itself look like anyone?”

“Every culture in the world has a shapeshifter lore.” Dean explained, “You know, legends of creatures who can transform themselves into animals or other men.”

“Right, _skinwalkers, werewolves_ …”

“And right now we've got two attacks within a few blocks of each other so…” Angel shrugged, “We probably got a shapeshifter prowling around here.”

“Let me ask you guys something…” Sam looked between them, “In all this shapeshifter lore, can any of them _fly_?”

Dean and Angel frowned as they looked at eachother, “Uh, I don't think so…”

“Not that I know of.”

Sam turned with a sigh, “I picked up a trail here. _Someone_ ran out the back of this building and headed off this way.”

“Just like your friend’s house.”

“Yeah.” Sam nodded, “And, just like at Zack’s house, the trail suddenly ends. I mean, whatever it is just disappeared.”

“Well, there’s another way to go.” Dean motioned, “ _Down_.” 

They all looked down and noticed a manhole.

Angel groaned, “ _Great_.”

**_In the sewer…_ **

“I bet this runs right by Zack’s house, too.” Sam said once her climbed down last, “The shapeshifter could be using the sewer system to get around.”

“I think you’re right. Look at this.” 

Dean motioned them over to look down and examine a pile of blood and skin on the ground. All three of them had equal looks of disgust on their faces.

“Oh _god…_ ” Angel put a hand over her mouth as Dean took out a pocket knife and held up some of the slimy skin, “Thats just fucking wrong. Is that from its victims?”

“You know, I just had a sick thought.” Dean grimaced as he looked over to them, “When the shapeshifter changes shape- _maybe it sheds_.”

Sam grimaced as Dean put the skin down, “That is _sick_.”

**_Back at the car…_ **

“Well, one thing i learned from dad.” Dean opened the trunk and started taking out weapons, “No matter what kind of shapeshifter it is, there’s one sure way to kill it.”

Sam smiled as he watched them ready their weapons, “Silver bullet to the heart.”

Angel smirked as she slid one of her silver knives into its sheath, “Doesn't gotta be a bullet, Sammy.”

Sam's phone rang and he quickly answered it, “This is Sam… We’re near Zack’s, we’re just checking some things out.” He frowned after a second, “What are you talking about?”

Angel sent an eye to Dean, “Uh oh…”

“It's probably nothing.”

Sam scoffed, “Why would you do that? Beck- _We’re trying to help_.” 

Angel shook her head, “I take it we’ve been made.”

Sam frowned again, “Beck, I’m sorry, but-”

Dean looked him over when Sam shook his head at being hung up on, “I hate to say it-”

“Then _don't_ , Dean.” Angel warned, seeing in Sam's face he wasn't in the mood, “Just leave it alone.”

He carried on turning back to Sam, “No because _that’s_ exactly what I was talking about. You lie to your friends because if they knew the real you, _they’d be freaked_. It’s just- it’d be easier if-”

“If I was like _you_?”

“Hey, man, like it or not, the three of us aren't like other people. But I’ll tell you one thing. This whole gig.” He held out a gun to Sam, “It ain’t without perks.”

Sam took it and put it in the back of his jeans before they walked away.

**_Back in the sewer…_ **

The three Winchesters each made their way around the sewer, flashlights shining and guns at the ready.

Dean looked back, “I think we’re close to its lair.”

Angel looked to him, “Why do you say that?”

He motioned ahead to Sam, “Because there’s another puke-inducing pile next to Sam's face.”

Sam shuffled back when he turned and saw another pile of blood and skin on a nearby pipe, “Oh, _God_.”

Angel grimaced, “ _Ew_ , it's on your jacket now.” She motioned to another area where yet another pile of bloody skin and clothes laid, “I'm thinking it's lived here for awhile, boys.”

“Who knows how many murders he’s gotten away with.” Sam turned and tensed when he saw the shapeshifter, still in the form of the man from before, standing directly behind Angel and Dean, “Guys! Watch out!”

They both whirl around to find the shifter there. He flung Angel against the pipes before punching Dean in the face and taking off. Both Winchesters fell to the ground as Sam shot at the thing but missed.

He moved over to them quickly, “You guys alright?”

Angel grimaced and put a hand to her head where she fell but no blood was present, “Yeah.”

Dean got up with a grunt, holding his shoulder in pain and anger, “Get the son of a bitch!”

They quickly followed it to an open storm drain and climbed out, but when they came up it was already gone.

“Shit.” Angel looked around, “We need to split up. We can cover more ground.” She looked between the boys, “You two go around the sides ill cover the opposite. We’ll meet in the middle.”

They all walk in separate directions with their guns drawn. Angel hears a person approaching and instantly raises her gun. The frightened passerby stops with his hands up before turning and sprinting away in fear. She continues her search frantically before whirling around at her brother's voice.

“Anything?”

She shook her head, “Not on my end. I'm assuming not on yours either.”

“No.” Sam scowled, “He’s gone.”

“Alright.” Dean motioned, “Let’s get back to the car.”

Sam and Angel cross the street before Dean stopped and waited for another car to pass. As it does, Deans eyes glowed silver momentarily but neither Angel nor Sam noticed.

**SECTION THREE**

Sam looked over, “You think he found another way underground?”

“Probably.” Angel glared as she shook her head, “That little slimy fucker is definately fast.”

Dean looked to Sam as they stopped by the impala, “You got the keys?”

Sam stopped for a second and sent an eye to Angel before turning to Dean, “Hey, didn’t Dad once face a shapeshifter in San Antonio?”

“That was Austin.” Dean corrected, “And it turned out not to be a shapeshifter, it was a thought form. A psychic projection, remember?”

“Oh, right…” Sam laughed a little, shaking something off before throwing the keys to Dean, “Here ya go.”

Dean caught the keys with his left hand, when earlier he had been injured in the shoulder. It set Sam and Angel both on edge but they played it off and watched him move to the trunk. He opened it and observed all the weapons with a laugh before the clicks of two guns were heard behind him.

“Don’t move!” Sam yelled and he turned, “What have you done with him?”

The shifter looked between them as he put his hands up, “Guys, _chill_ . It’s _me_ , all right?”

“Bullshit.” Angel barked, “Where the hell is our brother?”

“You’re about to shoot him. _Calm down_.”

“You caught those keys with your left.” Sam argued, “Your shoulder was hurt.”

“Yeah, it’s better. What do you want me to do, _cry_?”

“Drop the act. You're not our brother.” Angel glared, tense, “ _Where is he_?”

“ _Pull the trigger then_ .” He looked between them intensely, “Neither one of you are sure. Come on, you two _know_ me.”

As he moved forward, Sam and Angel both tensed, “ _Dont_.”

“ _Stay right there_.”

With superhuman speed the shifter hit each of them in the face with a crowbar from the trunk. They fell to the ground unconscious almost immediately.

**_Later on…_ **

Sam woke up in a dingy, dusty room. His neck and hands were bound to a wooden post. Beside him, Angel was bound as well. 

“ _Angel_. Ang, wake up.” Sam shifted from where he was, grimacing as he tried to reach her, “Ang!”

She groaned loudly as she tried to move her head, coughing at the ropes, “What the hell happ-” The shapeshifter walked over to him and instantly backhanded a still confused Angel who grunted in pain at the impact, “What the hell asshole!”

“Where is he?” Sam struggled, _“Where’s Dean_?”

“I wouldn’t worry about him.” The shifter shook his head, “I’d worry about _yourselves_.”

Angel spit out some blood that pooled in her mouth before glaring, “Where the hell is he you _slimy freak_?”

“ _You don’t really wanna know_ .” He chuckled, “I swear, the more I learn about you two and your family- I thought _I_ came from a bad background.”

Angel bulked, “What?”

“What do you mean, _learn_?”

The shifter stared at the knife in his hand for a second before grabbing his head in pain. He grimaces as he squeezes his eyes shut. Both Winchester stared at him in confusion until he relaxed and looked over at Sam.

“He’s sure got issues with _you_ . You got to go to college. He had to stay home. I mean, _I_ had to stay home. _With Dad and Angel_ .” She turned and glared as he spoke, “You don’t think I had dreams of my own? But _Dad_ needed me. Angel needed me.” He glared at Sam, “ _Where the hell were you_ ?” His eyes quickly snapped to Angels, “And _you_ . I'm never good enough to live up to your or dad’s expectations. It's always _Sam_ this or _Angel_ that. No matter what I do, _I'm never good enough_.” His hand whipped out and hit her again, “Both of you still treat me like a kid!”

She reeled from the hit but managed a chuckle, “Man, you are seriously a nut job buddy.” She glared, “Just tell us where our brother is.”

“ _I’m_ your brother.” He knelt between them, “See, deep down, I’m just jealous. _You're_ a better hunter than me. You don't need a partner.” His eyes snapped from Angel to Sam, “ _You_ got friends. You could have a life. _Me_ ? I know I’m a freak. _And sooner or later, everybody’s gonna leave me_.”

Sam watched him back away, “What are you talking about?”

“ _You left_ . Angels barely around to help out with cases anymore and hell, I did _everything_ Dad asked me to, and he ditched me, too. _No explanation_ , nothin’, just _poof_ . Left me with your sorry asses. But, still, this life? _It’s not without its perks_ .” He laughed, “I meet the nicest people. _Like little Becky_. You know Dean would bang her if he had the chance.” He smiled before covering both of them with a sheet, “Let’s see what happens.”

After he left, both Winchesters managed to get the sheets off their heads and were now struggling with the ropes around their wrists.

“I cant- i cant get it.” Angel grunted with a sigh, “What about you?”

He huffed with failure as well, “Damn it.”

In another area of the room, shuffling could be heard before someone coughed.

Dean's voice sounded after, “That better be the real Sam and Angel and not that freak of nature.”

Angel smiled as Sam laughed, “Yeah, it’s us.” Dean managed to uncover himself from the sheet and started to undo his ropes, “He went to Rebecca’s, looking like you.”

“Well, he’s not stupid.” Dean sent a cocky eye his way, “He picked the handsome one.”

Sam gave him a look before shaking his head. He and Angel went back to working their ropes as they spoke.

“Yeah, that’s the thing.” Sam said, “He didn’t just _look_ like you, he _was_ you. Or he was _becoming_ you.”

Dean finally worked his way out of his ropes, “What do you mean?”

“All the things he was saying…” Angel scoffed, “Only you would know or feel all that. It was like he was downloading your thoughts or memories or something.”

“You mean, like the Vulcan mind meld?”

“Yeah, something like that.” Sam agreed as Dean got up and walked over to them, “I mean, maybe that’s why he doesn’t just kill us.”

“He needs us alive.” Angel nodded, “Like he's got some sort of psychic connection with us.”

“Yeah. Come on, we gotta go.” Sam ushered once they were both untied, “He’s probably at Rebecca’s already.” They quickly climbed out a window and onto the street, “We gotta find a phone and call the police.”

“Whoa, whoa.” Dean stopped, “You’re gonna put an APB out on me?

Sam shrugged, “Sorry.”

He glared but started running down the street, “This way.”

After calling the police, the Winchesters stood in front of a store window and watched the news report that played on a display of televisions.

“ _An anonymous tip led police to a home in the Central West End, where a S.W.A.T team discovered a local woman bound and gagged. Her attacker, a white male, approximately twenty-four to thirty years of age, was discovered hiding in her home_.”

When a sketch of Dean appeared on the screen he scoffed, “Man! That’s not even a good picture.

Sam looked around curiously before he walked away, “Its good enough.”

Angel rolled her eyes at Dean who was still staring incredulously at the picture, “Lets go.”

As they walked into an alley, Dean stepped into a puddle, “Ugh, come on!”

“Okay, bright side?” Angel turned to her brothers, “They said _attempted_ murder. So at least we know-”

“ _I_ didn’t kill her.”

“We’ll check with Rebecca in the morning.” Sam stated, “See if she’s all right.”

“Alright, but _first_ I wanna find that handsome devil and kick the holy crap out of him.”

Sam stopped them, “We have no weapons. _No silver bullets_.”

“Sam, the guy’s walking around with my face, okay, _it’s a little personal_. I wanna find him.”

“He’s right.” Angel sighed, “We can't just leave a bunch of loose ends and that thing is one _gigantic_ loose end. The last thing we need is for him to go on a murder spree wearing Deans face. Let's start with the sewers. He’s bound to double back there.”

“We have no weapons. He stole our guns, _we need more_.” Sam paused to think, “The car?”

Dean pointed in agreement, “I’m betting he _drove_ over to Rebecca’s.”

“And the news said he fled on foot…” Angel agreed, “So I bet it's still parked there.”

“ _Oh_ .” Dean instantly angered, “ _The thought of him drivin’ my car_.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Angel started walking, “Lets go.”

Dean shook his head as he followed her and Sam, “It's killing me.”

Sam put out a dismissive hand, “Let it go.”

**SECTION FOUR**

**_Rebecca's House…_ **

The three of them sprinted around Rebecca's house to see the impala still parked there.

Dean instantly became relieved, “Ah, there she is! _Finally_ , something went right tonight.”

A police car slid up and parked next to Dean's car, ceasing their walk to the impala. Angel grabbed both of her brother's arms and backed them up. As they turned another car flew down the alley a few yards away.

Dean moved toward a fence, “This way, this way.”

“You guys go.” Sam held back, “I’ll hold them off.”

“Uh, excuse me?” Angel whirled around, “ _Hell no_ we’re not leaving you. They’ll catch you!”

“They can’t hold me!” He pressed, “Just go. Keep out of sight. Meet me at Rebecca’s.” Angel climbed over the fence first, followed by Dean, “And, hey.” Dean started to climb the fence but stopped and turned, “Stay out of the sewers until I'm with you guys.” Dean stayed silent as he hopped over the fence, “I mean it!”

“Yeah, yeah!”

**_The next morning…_ **

Dean sighed as he stood beside Angel while they both readied their guns with silver bullets, “Sorry, Sam. But you know us…” He inserts the clip loudly, “We just can't wait.”

Angel smiled as she closed the trunk, “Yeah, like he’d hold back if the roles were reversed.”

They entered the sewer, flashlights shining and guns at the ready. Almost immediately they came across a chamber filled with candles and chains. Revolting piles of skin and blood made a trail on the floor. At a noise, Angel took the lead ahead of Dean, slowly following it to another area of the sewer. It led to a large figure covered with a sheet, much like they were earlier. She removed it quickly, confusion filling her at the sight of Rebecca cowering there with her hands and feet bound together.

Dean stepped to the side to see and held that same look, “ _Rebecca_?”

Both of them quickly bent down to untie her, “What happened?”

She cried as she spoke, “I was walking home, and everything just went white. Someone hit me over the head, and I wound up here just in time to see that _thing_ turn into me. I don’t know, _how is that even possible_?”

“Hey, hey, it's okay.” Angel looked up at her as Dean finished untying her rope, “Are you hurt? Can you walk?”

She nodded hurriedly before Dean helped her up, “Okay, we’ve gotta hurry. Sam went to see you.”

They made it back to Rebecca's house just in time to see him, in the form of Dean, choking out Sam on the floor.

“Hey!”

At Deans yell, the shifter scrambled off Sam and whirled around to see Dean and Angel pointing their pistols at him. He stared at them for a second before making a move to run. Angel and Dean each fired a shot and nailed him in the heart twice. The force of the bullets sent him stumbling back before he fell to the ground, dead.

Angel rushed over to her little brother as Dean walked to the shifters body and snatched back his stolen necklace. He nodded knowingly to his siblings and Angel looked down at Sam.

“You okay?” He nodded, still reeling from the lack of oxygen, “Good.”

**SECTION FIVE**

Dean and Angel stood by the car as they looked at a map. Both turned when Sam and Rebecca walked outside.

“So, this is what you do? You, your brother and your sister- you hunt down these kinds of things?”

“Yeah…” He nodded, “Pretty much.”

“I can’t believe it… I mean, _I saw it with my own eyes_. And, I mean…” She looked up at him curiously, “Does everybody at school- nobody knows that you do this?”

“No.”

“Did Jessica know?”

Sam looked thoughtful for a second before he shook his head, “No, she didn’t.”

Her eyes saddened, “Must be lonely.”

“Oh, no. No, it’s not so bad.” He motioned to his siblings who were watching on with curiosity, “Anyway, what can I do? It’s my family.”

She laughed, “Well, you know, Zack and me, and everybody at school- we really miss you.”

She hugged him as he agreed, “Yeah, me too.”

She studied him once they pulled apart, “Well, will you call sometime?”

“It might not be for a little while…”

Rebecca nodded before waving goodbye to Angel and Dean. They each wave back before she headed back inside. Sam walked back over to the car with a sigh.

“So, what about your friend, Zack?”

Sam smirked to Dean as he walked over to the passenger side, “Cops are blaming this _Dean Winchester_ guy for Emily’s murder. They found the murder weapon in the guy’s lair, Zack’s clothes stained with her blood. Now they’re thinking maybe the surveillance tape _was_ tampered with. _Yeah, Becca says Zack will be released soon_.”

He smiled triumphantly as Dean rolled his eyes and got in the car.

Angel chuckled and shook her head, “Well, at least you don't _gloat_.”

A few miles down the road Dean sent a look to Sam beside him, “Sorry, man.”

“About what?”

“I really wish things could be different, you know? I wish you could just be… _Joe College_.”

“No, that’s okay…” He shook his head as he sighed heavily, “You know, the truth is, even at Stanford, deep down, I never really fit in.”

Angel leaned forward with a grin, “Hey, that’s ‘cause you’re a freak.”

“Yeah…” He chuckled, “ _Thanks_.”

“It's so not a bad thing, Sammy.” She motioned to Dean, “D and I are both freaks too.”

“Yup.” Dean nodded, “We’re right there with ya, _all the way_.”

Sam laughed, “Yeah, I know you are.”

“You know, I gotta say…” Dean shook his head with a small smile, “I’m sorry I’m gonna miss it.”

Angel rose a brow, “What's that?”

He grinned, “How many chances am I gonna have to see my own funeral?”

The three of them smile at each other as Dean guns it down the road.


	4. Bugs

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a construction worker is killed by insects burrowing into his brain, Angel, Sam and Dean investigate the town's history and find that the new housing development is being built on sacred Native American land. The Native’s put a curse on the land after their reservation had been ravished and destroyed. The Winchesters must find a way to survive and kill the deadly swarm of bees, locusts, spiders and beetles.

**DISCLAIMER:** I only own my character! Anything you might recognize is courtesy of the CW.

  
**WARNING:** Some of these episodes/chapters may contain graphic violence, cursing, mentions of suicide or assault and other triggering aspects. Proceed with caution please.

_Previously skipped: Hook Man…_

**_Outside of an Oklahoma bar…_ **

Sam sat on top of the impala hood as he read a newspaper about a local death related to accelerated mad cow disease. Angel was a few feet in front of him pretending to flirt with a biker as she pocketed his wallet. A minute later, Dean walked outside laughing and waving a wad of cash in the air.

Sam shook his head as Dean came over, “You know, we could get day jobs once in a while.”

“ _Hunting's_ our day job.” Dean corrected as he counted his money, “And the pay is crap.”

“Yeah, but _hustling pool_ ? _Credit card scams_ ?” He motioned to Angel as she happily walked over with the bikers wallet, “ _Pick pocketing_? It's not the most honest thing in the world, guys.”

“Well, let's see… _honest_ .” Dean held out one hand, “ _Fun and easy_ .” He held out the other before gesturing that ‘ _fun and easy_ ’ outweighed _‘honest’_ , “It's no contest.”

“What do you expect us to do, little brother? _Work retail? Waitress_ ? At least with _this_ job we get to punch and kill things without being fired.” She smirked as she took the money out of the wallet, “Besides, we're _good_ at it. It's what we were raised to do.”

Sam chuckled a little but shook his head, “Yeah, well, how we were raised was jacked.”

“Says _you_.” Dean dismissed, “We got a new gig or what?”

“Maybe.” Sam quickly got off the hood of the impala and walked over to them, “ _Oasis Plains, Oklahoma_ \- not far from here. A gas company employee, _Dustin Burwash_ , supposedly died from Creutzfeldt-Jakob.”

“Creutz…” Angel looked at him puzzled, “ _What_?”

“Huh?”

Sam explained, “Human mad cow disease.”

“Mad cow…” Angel pursed her lips, “Isn't that where their brain like… _melts_?”

“Yeah.” Dean nodded, “It was on Oprah.”

Sam grinned as he and Angel turned to Dean at that, “ _You watch Oprah_?”

Embarrassment filled his face at their stares and he quickly changed the topic, “So this guy eats a bad burger. Why is it our kind of thing?”

Sam smiled but dropped it as well, “Mad cow disease causes massive brain degeneration. It takes _months, even years_ , for the damage to appear. But this guy, Dustin? Sounds like his brain disintegrated in about an hour. Maybe less.”

“Oh, yeah.” Angel nodded, “That's definitely our kind of weird.”

“It could be a disease.” Sam shrugged, “ _Or_ it could be something much nastier.”

“ _Pft_ .” Angel rolled her eyes as she started to open the back door, “Like it's ever a disease or something else when _we_ get a whiff.”

  
“ _Oklahoma_.” Dean sighed as he got in the car with Sam, “Man… _Work, work, work_. No time to spend my money.”

**SECTION TWO**

**_Oklahoma Gas and Power Company…_ **

The three Winchesters got out of the car and approached the man they'd been looking for.

Sam pointed, “Travis Weaver?”

He looked up curiously, “Yeah, that's right…”

Dean looked him over, “Are you the Travis who worked with Uncle Dusty?”

He looked between the three of them a little shocked, “Oh… Dustin never mentioned any nieces or nephews.”

“Really?” Angel feigned surprises, “Well, he always talked about you. Basically said you were the greatest.”

“Oh, he did?” Travis smiled, “Huh.”

“Listen, we wanted to ask you…” Dean looked to him, “What exactly happened out there?”

“I'm not sure.” Travis saddened, “He fell in a sinkhole. I went to the truck to get some rope, and, uh… by the time I got back…”

“What did you see?” Angel asked, “Anything weird?”

“Nothin'. Just Dustin.”

“No wounds or anything?”

“Well, he was bleeding…” Travis motioned, “From his eyes and his ears, his nose. But that's it.”

Dean nodded, “So… You think it could be this whole mad cow thing?”

“I don't know.” He frowned, “That's what the doctors are saying.”

“But if it was, he would've acted _strange_ beforehand… Like _dementia, loss of motor control_ , stuff like that.” Sam said, “You ever notice anything like that?”

“No. No way.” He quickly shook his head, “But then again, if it wasn't some disease, what the hell was it?”

Angel sighed, “That's a good question.”

**_At the scene…_ **

The sinkhole where Dustin died was surrounded by police tape at the Winchesters approached it. 

“Huh…” Dean looked around as they all came to a stop beside one another, “What do you guys think?”

“I have no clue…” Angel frowned as she leaned forward and eyed the small dark cramped space, stifling a shiver, “Whatever happened, Travis made it sound like it happened pretty damn fast.”

Angel frowned when the boys ducked under the police tape to get a closer look. She opted to stay where she was but tried to keep her face as neutral as possible. 

_Tight spaces were not her thing_.

“So, what?” Dean asked, “Some sort of creature chewed on his brain?”

“No.” Sam dismissed, “There'd be an entry wound. Sounds like this thing worked from the _inside_.”

“Huh. Looks like there's only room for one.” Dean commented as he shined his flashlight inside the hole, “You guys wanna flip a coin?”

“ _Are you crazy_?” Angel squeaked from behind them, unable to contain the panic she felt at the thought of going down into that hole, “We have no idea what the hells down there, Dean!”

He turned to her with a smirk, “Angel, are you _scared_?”

“What? _No_ !” She squeaked, “I am not _scared_ . I'm just trying to be the _smart_ one here. _As per usual._ ”

Dean snickered as he went and picked up a nearby coil of rope, “Alright, alright, I'll go if you're scared.”

“ _I'm not scared!_ ”

Dean ignored her and sent a smirk to Sam, “You scared too?”

Sam scoffed, “Just flip the damn coin.”

Dean chuckled and took the coin out of his pocket, “Alright, call it in the air… _chicken_.”

As soon as Dean flipped the coin Sam caught it in midair, “ _I'm going_.”

Dean smirked, “I said I'd go.”

“ _I'm going_.”

When both of the boys looked to Angel she glared, “Well don't look at me. I'm not volunteering.”

Sma shook his head as he began tying the rope around his waist. Dean took part of the other end and handed part of it off to Angel.

Sam eyed both of them, “ _Don't_ drop me.”

**_In the impala…_ **

As Dean drove the impala down the road, Sam examined several beetles he picked up in the sink hole.

“Gross.” Angel grimaced as she turned to her brother in the backseat, “Why the hell did you even bring those things in here?”

“Yeah.” Dean added, “So you found some beetles. _In a hole, in the ground_ . That's _shocking_ , Sam.”

“There were no tunnels, no tracks. No evidence of any other kind of creature down there.” Sam explained, “You know, some beetles do eat meat. Now, it's usually dead meat, but-”

Dean looked at him through the rearview, “How many did you find down there?”

“Ten.”

Dean shook his head, “It'd take a whole lot more than that to eat out some dude's brain.”

“Well, maybe there were _more_.”

“ _Ugh_.” Angel shivered, “Can we just focus on something else? The beetle theory is giving me the heebie-jeebies.”

“ _Heebie-jeebies_ ? Angel, you've been covered in _sludge, mud, guts and blood_ before but _bugs_ gross you out?” Dean snickered at her glare, “ _Jeeze_ , how many secret phobias you got?”

“ _None_ so shut up.”

“We need more information on the area, the neighborhood.” Sam got back to business, “Whether something like this has ever happened before.”

As they drove through town, they passed a sign for an open house, decorated with red balloons.

Dean motioned, “I know a good place to start.” He looked at the next sign that read ‘ _Models Open. New Buyers’ BBQ Today_ !’, “I'm kinda hungry for a little barbeque, how 'bout you guys?” Angel chuckled as Sam gave him a ‘ _yeah sure_ ’ look, “ _What_ , we can't talk to the locals?”

Sam leaned forward, “And the free food's got nothing to do with it?”

“Of course not! _I'm a professional_.”

“Yeah.” Angel chuckled, “Okay, Mr. Professional.”

Dean quickly pulled the car over and they all exited the impala to walk down the street towards the open house.

Dean looked around, “Growing up in a place like this would freak me out.”

Sam gave him a look, “ _Why_?”

“Well, manicured lawns, ‘ _How was your day, honey_?’” He scoffed, “I'd blow my brains out.”

“I don't know…” Angel looked around as she thought about it, “We never had any of this but maybe normal could be a fresh breath of air. It'd be nice not to have to escape death every other week.”

Dean knocked on the door as they stopped in front of it, “I'd take our family over normal any day.”

A answered a few seconds later smiling warmly, “Welcome.”

Dean perked up, “This the barbeque?”

“Yeah.” He took a peak at the sky with a frown, “Not the best weather, but… I'm Larry Pike, the developer here. And you are…?”

“Dean.” He shook Larry's hands as he did introductions, “This is Sam and Angel.”

Larry shakes their hands with another friendly smile, “ _Angel, Sam, Dean_ , good to meet you. So, you three are interested in Oasis Plains?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Let me just say, we accept homeowners of any race, religion, sexual orientation, or…” He motioned between them, “ _Coupling_.”

“Coupling?” Angels brow furrowed as she and her brothers shared an eye, “Oh, _oh_ no it's not that.” She motioned between the three of them, “We’re siblings.”

Larry nodded in slight embarrassment as Sam continued, “Our father is getting on in years, and we're just looking for a place for him.”

“Great, great.” Larry chuckled, “Well, seniors are welcome, too. Come on in.”

He took them outside to the backyard where lots of people were walking around, chatting and eating.

“You said you were the developer?”

“Eighteen months ago, I was walking through this valley with my survey team. There was nothing here but scrub brush and squirrels. And you know what, we built such a nice place to live that I actually bought into it myself. This is our house. We're the first family in Oasis Plains.” They walked over to a blonde woman, “This is my wife, Joanie.”

She smiled and stuck her hand out for introductions, “Hi there.”

Dean took it first, “Hi.”

“Hi, nice to meet you.”

Larry motioned, “Angel, Sam and Dean.”

Sam was next, “Sam.”

Then Angel, “Angel.” She nodded, “Nice to meet you.”

“Pleasure.”

“Tell them how much you love the place, honey.” He smirked, “And _lie_ if you have to because I need to sell some houses.”

Joanie nodded, “Right.”

They laughed before Larry turned to the Winchesters, “Will you three excuse me?”

“Don't let his salesman routine scare you.” Joanie smirked when he was gone, “This really is a great place to live.”

A very energetic woman approached them just then. She wore a pantsuit and her black hair was pulled back in a tight bun.

“Hi.” She reached out for more handshakes, “I'm Lynda Bloome, head of sales.”

“And Lynda was second to move in.” Joanie explained, “She's a very noisy neighbor, though.”

Lynda laughed as she left, “She's kidding, of course. I take it you three are interested in becoming homeowners.”

Dean looked to his siblings, “Well-”

Sam stuttered, “Y- yeah-”

“Oh, we sure are Lynda.” Angel grinned, “This house is just beautiful.”

“Well, let me just say that we accept homeowners of any race, religion, sexual orientation, or…” She grinned and motioned between them, “ _Coupling_.”

Angel's smile became tight, “Right, right… Okay, well i'm gonna go talk to Larry.”

Dean chuckled, “I'll join you.” He looked to Sam, “Okay, honey?

He followed Angel as she walked away, smacking Sam on his ass in the process. Sam and Lynda shared an awkward silence. Inside the house, Larry led Deana and Angel downstairs as he finished the tour.

“You've got three choices: _carpet, hardwood, and tile_.”

As Dean noticed a few jars full of bugs on a nearby table he motioned at them to Angel. She yelped a little but quickly recovered, sending a look to Larry.

“Someone has a thing for… _bugs_.”

“My son. He’s into insects.” Larry sighed with a frown, “He's very… _inquisitive_.”

“Right…” Angel cleared her throat, “Let's go find, Sam.”

As they walked outside they noticed Sam talking to a young kid. A kid who was holding onto a tarantula. Angels fists clenched uncomfortably at that.

_What the hell kind of job were they working?!_

“Matthew.” Larry snapped and both the kid and Sam turned as the three of them walked over, “I am so sorry about my son and his… _pet_.”

Sam quickly dismissed him, “It's no bother.”

Taking Mathew by the arm he quickly ushered him away, “Excuse us.”

“Remind you two of someone?” At their looks he motioned over to Larry who was now yelling at Matt, “ _Dad_?”

Dean instantly became defensive, “Dad never treated us like _that_.”

“Well, Dad never treated _you two_ like that.” Sam corrected, “You guys were perfect. _He was all over my case_.” When Dean rolled his eyes and Angel crossed her arms he looked between them pointedly, “You two seriously don't remember?”

Angel sighed, “Look, now's probably not the time to delve into family-”

“Dad _maybe_ had to raise his voice, _maybe_ .” Dean interjected, “But sometimes, _you_ were out of line.”

Sam laughed sarcastically, “Right. _Right_ , like when I said I'd rather play soccer than learn bowhunting.”

“ _Bowhunting's an important skill_.”

“ _That's enough_ .” Angel waved between them, “Right now is so not the time for this, okay? But, _just for the record_ , i took you to the park to play soccer all the time, Sam.”

Sam scoffed, “And whenever dad found out about it he would scream at you, _just like that_.”

“ _Sam_.”

“Whatever.” Sam rolled his eyes, “How was the tour?”

“Oh, it was excellent.” Dean answered, “I'm ready to buy.” Sam laughed, “So you might be onto something. Looks like Dustin Burwash wasn't the first strange death around here.”

“What happened?”

“About a year ago, before they broke ground, one of Larry's surveyors dropped dead while on the job. Get this: _severe allergic reaction to bee stings_.”

Sam nodded, “More bugs.”

“Yeah.” Angel scoffed, “ _More creepy crawly disgusting bugs_.”

**_Back in the impala…_ **

As Angel drove, Sam sat in the back and Dean sat passenger while he flipped through their fathers journal.

“You know, I've heard of killer bees, but _killer beetles_?” He shook his head, “What is it that could make different bugs attack?”

Sam mused, “Well, _hauntings_ sometimes include bug manifestations.”

Angel shook her head, “No signs of ghost activity.”

“Maybe they're being controlled somehow.” Dean offered, “You know, by something or someone.”

Angel turned to him, “What, like _Willard_?”

“Yeah.” Dean nodded at the movie reference, “ _Bugs_ instead of _rats_.”

“There are cases of psychic connections between people and animals.” Sam nodded, “ _Elementals, telepaths_.”

Angel shivered, “Ew.” 

Sam chuckled, “You really have some kind of bug phobia don’t you?”

She rolled her eyes, “Come on! Who the hell would wanna have a psychic connection with beetles, crickets and roaches? _No one_.”

Dean quickly realized something, “ _Larry's kid_. He's got bugs for pets.”

“Matt?”

Yeah.”

Sam shrugged, “He _did_ try to scare the realtor with a tarantula.”

“So…” Angel raised a brow, “You think this kids our Willard?”

“Maybe.” Sam shrugged, “Anything's possible, I guess.”

“Oh, hey.” Dean motioned to an empty driveway of one of the Oasis Plains homes, “Pull over here.”

She pulled into the driveway giving her little brother a curious eye, “What are we doing here?”

Dean got out of the car, “It's too late to talk to anybody else.”

Sam watched him open the garage door from the back window, “We're gonna squat in an empty house?”

“I wanna try the steam shower. Come on.” He motioned hurriedly when Angel didn't move, “ _Come on_!”

Angel rolled her eyes and reluctantly pulled into the garage. Sam swiftly hit Dean in the stomach as they passed him. Dean rolled his own eyes before looking around and closing the garage door.

**SECTION THREE**

**_The next morning…_ **

“Look alive, boys.” Angel called as she walked back into the house, “We’ve got another vic.” She frowned when she only saw Sam, “Where's Dean.”

“Where do you think?” He shook his head as he led her over to the bathroom and banged on the door, “You ever coming out of there?”

“What?”

“Dean, a police call came in on the scanner.”

“Hold on!”

Angel banged on the door, getting irritated, “Someone was found dead three blocks from here, Dean. Now, come on.”

The door opened just then to reveal Dean standing there, in the steam-filled room, with a towel on his head, “This shower is _awesome_.”

Angel shook her head, “Hurry it up.” As she walked away she sent an eye to Sam, “Today, he's your brother.”

**_At the Bloome residence…_ **

The three of them pulled up and got out of the car quickly with their umbrellas for the pouring rain. They made their way over to Larry, who was finishing up a phone call. The body of Lynda Bloome was currently being carried out in a body bag on a stretcher.

As they approached Larry hung up the phone, “Hello. You're, uh, back early.”

“Yeah, we just drove in. Dean nodded, “Wanted to take another look at the neighborhood.”

Sam motioned, “What's going on?”

“You three met, uh… _Lynda Bloome_ at the barbeque?”

Angel nodded, “The realtor.”

“Well, she, uh… passed away last night.”

The three of them stared at him in shock, “What happened?”

“I'm still trying to find out. Identified the body for the police.” He turned and saw the police were ushering him over so he frowned at the Winchesters, “Look, I- I'm sorry, this isn't a good time now.”

“No, it’s okay.” Angel nodded, “We’re sorry for your loss.”

He nodded, “Excuse me.”

Dean looked to his siblings once Larry walked away, “You guy know what we have to do, right?”

Angel nodded with a frown, “Oh, yeah.”

Sam was also in agreement, “We have to get in that house.”

“See if we got a bug problem.” Dean smirked over to his sister, “You gonna be able to stomach this one, sis?”

“Shut up, doofus.” She rolled her eyes as she led them to the back of the house, “Phobia or not, _i can still do my job_.”

A few minutes later, they climbed over the fence, up the side of the house, and through Lynda's bedroom window. The outline of her dead body was drawn on the carpet with tape.

Dean nodded, “This looks like the place.”

They walked over to the bathroom where a towel laid on the floor. Angel picked it up but quickly dropped it with a squeak just as fast once she saw the dead spiders that covered it.

“Christ.” She huffed moving away from the dead things, “ _Spiders_.”

Dean shared a look with Sam, “From Spider Boy?”

“Matt.” Sam corrected with a glare followed by a frown, “Maybe.”

Later on, Dean pulled the impala up at the curb. Across the street, Matt got off a school bus and began walking towards the woods.

Dean watched him before motioning the other way, “Isn't his house _that_ way?”

Sam nodded, “Yup.”

Angel opened her door, “So let's find out where he’s going, boys.”

The boys get out and they all follow Matt, finding him in the woods examining a grasshopper.

“Hey, Matt.” Sam earned the kids attention, “Remember me?”

Matt looked between them worriedly, “What are you doing out here?”

Angel studied him softly, “We just wanna talk to you for a sec.”

“You're not here to buy a house, are you?” At her head shake he grew more tense, “W- wait. _You're not serial killers?”_

The three Winchesters laughed as Sam shook his head, “No, I think you're safe.”

“So, Matt…” Dean motioned to the grasshopper in his hands, “You sure know a lot about insects.”

“ _So_?”

“Did you hear what happened to Lynda, the realtor?”

“I hear she died this morning.”

Angel nodded, “She did…” 

Dean hushed his voice, earning a glare from Sam, “From spider bites.”

“Matt…” Sam earned his attention, “You tried to scare her with a spider.”

“Wait…” He pointed between them, “You think _I_ had something to do with that?”

Dean raised a brow, “ _You_ tell _us_.”

“ _That tarantula was a joke_ .” He scoffed with dismissal, “Anyway, that wouldn't explain the bee attack _or_ the gas company guy.”

“You know about those?”

He nodded at Sam, “There is something going on here. I don't know what… but _something's_ happening with the insects.” He picked up his backpack and began leading them to another area, “Let me show you something.”

“So, if you knew about all this bug stuff, why not tell your dad?” Sam asked, “Maybe he could clear everybody out.”

“Believe me, _I've tried,_ but, uh…” He frowned with a headshake, “ _Larry_ doesn't listen to me.”

“Why not?”

“ _Mostly_? He's too disappointed in his freak son.”

Sam scoffed sadly, “I hear ya…”

Dean looked over at him, “You do?”

Sam turned and gave him a look before looking back at the kid, “Matt, how old are you?”

“Sixteen.”

“Well, don't sweat it, because in two years, something great's gonna happen.”

“What?”

“ _College_ .” Sam smiled, “You'll be able to get out of that house and _away_ from your dad.”

“What kind of advice is that?” Dean burled up, “Kid should stick with his family.”

Sam sighed and glared at Dean as Angel stepped up to the other side of Matt.

“Listen, kid…” She offered him a small smile, “You do whatever you gotta do to keep yourself happy and sane. If that's going away to college, _then do it_ . If it's staying close to the fam? _Do that_ .” She gave a pointed dismissive look to her brothers, “Whatever you _wanna_ do, _do it_. Now, how much further we got?”

He nodded at her, “We're close.”

Sam glared at Dean once more before he continued following Matt and Angel. A few moments later, they reached a large clearing. The sounds of hundreds of different insects were heard amongst the trees. Angel immediately tensed at the sound. She couldn't see anything but that made her anxiety even worse.

Matt turned to them, “I've been keeping track of insect populations. It's, um, part of an AP science class.”

Dean smirked at his brother, “You two are like _peas in a pod_.”

Sam ignored him, “What's been happening?”

“ _A lot_ . I mean, from bees to earthworms, beatles… _you name it_ .” He motioned around, “It's like they're _congregating_ here.”

Dean looked down, “Why?”

Matt shrugged, “I don't know.”

“What's that?”

He pointed to a dark patch of grass a few feet away. They all curiously walked over to it and discovered hundreds of worms writhing around. Dean lightly stepped on it and caused a hole to form where a bunch of worms fell. He crouched down and used a stick to poke around inside the hole.

“There's something down there…”

Putting the stick down he reached into the hole slowly. With a disgusted expression, he brought his hand back up, and all four of them looked horrified at what was in his hands. Covered in dirt and worms, laid a human skull.

**SECTION FOUR**

**_Department of Anthropology…_ **

The Winchesters pulled up outside the local university and got out of the car. Angel took the box of bones out from the backseat and followed her brothers toward the building.

Angel put her jacket over the box so they didn't cause any attention, “Alright, well the _skeletons in an unmarked grave_ thing are definitely screaming _haunting_ to me.”

“Pissed off spirits?” Dean asked, “Some unfinished business?”

“Probably.”

“Question is, why _bugs_ ?” Sam asked, “And why _now_?”

“That's _two_ questions.” Dean pointed out but Sam actively ignored him, “Yeah, so with that kid back there… why'd you tell him to just ditch his family like that?”

“Just, uh…” Sam frowned looking everywhere but to Dean, “I know what the kid's going through.”\

Dean's jaw tensed, “How about telling him to respect his old man, how's _that_ for advice?”

Angel sighed heavily as they all came to a stop, her in the middle, “ _Here we go_ …”

“This isn't about _his_ old man.” Sam looked to Dean pointedly, “ _You_ think I didn't respect Dad. _That's_ what this is about.”

“Just forget it, alright?” Dean dismissed, trying to walk away, “Sorry I brought it up.”

Sam's voice stopped him, “I respected him. But no matter what I did, it was never good enough.”

“Sam… that's not true.” Angel shook her head as sadness clouded her eyes, “ _Dad loves you_. I mean, you're talking like he was disappointed in you or something.”

“Was? _Is_ .” He scoffed at her, “ _Always has been_.”

Dean shook his head, “ _Why_ would you think that?”

“Because I didn't wanna _bowhunt, hustle pool, or pick pockets._ Because I wanted to go to _school_ and _live my life_ , which, _to our whacked-out family_ , made _me_ the freak.”

“Yeah…” Dean smirked as he thought about it for a second, “You were kind of like the blonde chick in The Munsters.”

“Okay, _you_ shut up.” She pointed to Dean before turning to Sam, “So you were a little _different_ . You grew up in the hunting life since you were a _baby_ . It's _okay_ for you to strive for a little normalcy. Even _Dad_ understands that. He's not and has _never_ been disappointed in you, Sammy.”

He centered his eyes to her, “Angel, you know what most dads are when their kids score a full ride? _Proud_ . Most dads don't toss their kids out of the house.” He raised a brow at her, “And i'm sure you didn't get a warm ‘ _Welcome Home’_ when you came back after dropping me off.”

She sighed, looking away from him sadly, “Sam…”

“I remember that fight.” Dean caught his attention, “ _In fact_ , I seem to recall a few choice phrases coming out of _your_ mouth.”

Sam stared at him for a beat before looking off with a shake of his head, “You know, truth is, when we finally do find Dad… I don't know if he's even gonna wanna see me.”

“Sam, Angels right. Dad was _never_ disappointed in you. _Never_ . He was _scared_.”

Sam looked between them curiously, “What are you talking about?”

“He was afraid of what could've happened to you if he wasn't around. But even when you two weren't talking… he and Angel used to swing by Stanford whenever they could.”

Sam's smirk fades as he looks at his sister.

Angel shared a look with Dean before nodding, “He just wanted to keep an eye on you. Make sure you were safe. We both did.”

“What?”

“Yeah.”

“Why didn't he tell _me_ any of that?” He shook his head, “Why wouldn't you come say hi or something?”

She shared another look with Dean who explained, “Well, it's a two-way street, dude. You could've picked up the phone.” Sam continued to stare at them sadly before Dean turned, “Come on, we're gonna be late for our appointment.”

**_In the college classroom…_ **

“So…” An older man with white hair looked between the three of them as he studied the box of bones, “You three are students?”

“Yeah.” Sam nodded, “Yeah, uh, we're in your Anthro 101 class.”

The professor nodded so Dean pressed, “So, what about the bones, Professor?”

“This is quite an interesting find you've made. I'd say they're 170 years old, _give or take_. The timeframe and the geography heavily suggest Native American.”

“Native American?” Angel repeated with a brow raise, “Were there any tribes or reservations on that land?”

He shook his head, “Not according to the historical record. _But_ the, uh, relocation of native peoples was quite common at that time.”

“Right.” Sam nodded, “Well, are there any local legends? Oral histories about the area?”

“Well… you know, there's a Euchee tribe in Sapulpa.” He offered, “It's about sixty miles from here. Someone out there might know the truth.”

“Alright.” Dean smiled, “Thanks.”

**_Road through Sapulpa…_ **

The Winchesters drove through Sapulpa before stopping and asking a Native American man for directions. He directed them towards a diner before they thanked him and drove away. Once they entered the diner they found another Native American man playing cards at a table.

“Joe White Tree?” Sam asked and the man nodded, “We'd like to ask you a few questions, if that's alright.”

“We're students from the university-”

“No, you're not.” Joe quickly interrupted Dean, “You're lying.”

Dean looked taken aback, “Um, well, truth is-”

“You know who starts sentences with ‘truth is’?” Joe interrupted again, this time cutting his eyes to Dean. “ _Liars_.”

Dean exchanged a look with Sam as Angel moved to the front of them, “Have you heard of Oasis Plains? It's a housing development near the Atoka Valley.”

Joe pointed to Angel but still addressed Dean, “I like her. _She's not a liar_.” He turned to Angel as an angry look passed through Deans face, “I know the area.”

“What can you tell us about the history there?”

“Something… Something _bad_ is happening in Oasis Plains.”

“We think it might have something to do with some old bones we found down there.” Sam added, “ _Native American_ bones.”

He looked pained as he nodded slowly, “I'll tell you what my grandfather told me, what his grandfather told him. Two hundred years ago, a band of my ancestors lived in that valley. One day, the American cavalry came to relocate them. They were resistant, the cavalry impatient. As my grandfather put it, on a night the moon and the sun shared the sky as equals, the cavalry first raided our village. _They murdered, raped_ . The next day, the cavalry came again, _and the next, and the next_ . And on the _sixth_ night, the cavalry came one _last_ time. And by the time the sun rose, every man, woman, and child still in the village was _dead_ .” He paused for a second as he let all of that sink in, “They say on the sixth night, as the chief of the village lay dying, he whispered to the heavens that no white man would ever tarnish this land again. _Nature_ would _rise up_ and protect the valley. And it would bring as many days of misery and death to the white man as the _cavalry_ had brought upon _his people_.”

“Insects.” Dean nodded as he turned, “Sounds like nature to me.” He looked back to Joe, “Six days?”

“ _And on the night of the sixth day, none would survive_.”

The Winchesters exchanged yet another grim look with one another. They thanked him before walking out towards the car.

“Okay, six days.” Angel mused, “We need a timeline. Gas company guy was the first right? When did he die?”

“Uh, let's see…” Dean thought as he took out his keys, “We got here _Tuesday_ , so, _Friday the twentieth_.”

“ _March_ twentieth?” Sam asked, earning a nod, “That's the spring equinox.”

Angel pursed her lips, “ _The night the sun and the moon share the sky as equals_.”

“So, every year about this time, _anybody_ in Oasis Plains is in danger.” Sam explained as realization came to him, “Larry built this neighborhood on cursed land.”

“And on the sixth night…” Dean turned, “ _That's tonight_.”

“If we don't do something, Larry's family will be dead by sunrise.” Sam looked between them, “So how do we break the curse?”

“You don't _break_ curses, Sammy…” Angel looked to Dean, “ _You get out of their way_.”

Dean hurriedly got in the car, “We've gotta get those people out _now_.”

Dean sped down the road as he talked on the phone with Larry, “Yes, Mr. Pike, there's a mainline gas leak in your neighborhood.”

_“God, really? And how big?”_

“Well, it's fairly extensive. I don't want to alarm you, but we need your family out of the vicinity for at least twelve hours or so, just to be safe.”

_“And who is this, again?”_

“Travis Weaver. I work for Oklahoma Gas and Power.”

_“Uh-huh. Well, the problem is, I know Travis. He's worked with us for a year, so who is this?”_

“Uh…”

Panicked, Dean quickly hung up the phone. 

Angel leaned forward from the front seat, “Okay, next plan. Any ideas?”

Sam motioned, “Give me the phone.”

He took the phone from Dean and dialed a number. It took a few rings before Matt answered his cell.

_“Hello?”_

“Matt, it's Sam.”

_“Sam, my backyard is crawling with cockroaches.”_

“Matt, just listen.” Sam hurried, “You have to get your family out of that house right now, okay?”

_“What, why?”_

“Because _something's_ coming.”

_“More bugs?”_

“Yeah, _a lot_ more.”

_“My dad doesn't listen in the best of circumstances, what am I supposed to tell him?”_

“You've gotta _make_ him listen, okay?”

“Give me the phone, _give me the phone_ .” Dean grabbed the phone from Sam, “Matt, under _no_ circumstances are you to tell the truth, they'll just think you're nuts.”

_“But he's my-”_

“Tell him you have a sharp pain in your right side and you've gotta go to the hospital.” Dean quickly recited the symptoms of appendicitis, “Okay?”

_“Yeah. Yeah, okay.”_

Dean hung up and sent his brother a ‘are you serious’ look, “ _Make him listen_? What are you thinking?”

A while later, they pulled up outside Larry's house. Larry looked out the window and, seeing their car, went outside. Matt hurriedly followed him

Upon seeing him, Dean angered, “Damn it, they're still here.” He rushed Angel and Sam as he got out of the car, “Come on.”

“Get off my property before I call the cops!”

Angel put a hand out to him, keeping her voice calm, “Mr. Pike, _listen-_ ”

“Dad, they're just trying to help.”

Larry wheeled around to him, “Get in the house!”

“I’m sorry.” Matt frowned as he looked to the Winchesters, “I told him the truth.”

“We had a plan, Matt.” Dean said exasperatedly, “ _What happened to the plan_?”

“Look, it's 12:00am.” Sam said calmly, earning Larry's attention, “They are coming _any minute_ now. You need to get your family and go, before it's too late.”

Larry scoffed as he looked at them like they were crazy, “Yeah, you mean _before the biblical swarm_.”

“Larry, just stop being an _ass_ and listen for a second, okay?” Angel snapped, really not wanting to be present once the hoard of angry killer bugs get there, “What do you think really happened _Lynda_ , hm? And- and the guy at the gas company? All these weird unexplainable deaths _involving bugs_ don't seem a tad bit _weird_ to you?”

“Look, I don't know who you three are, but you're all _crazy_ .” His voice rose as he swung his finger around, “You come near my _boy_ or my _family_ again, and we're gonna have a _problem_.”

Dean kept his eye, “Well, I hate to be a downer, but we've got a problem _right now_.”

“Dad, they're right, okay?” Matt pleaded, “ _We're in danger_.”

“Matt, get inside! _Now_!”

“No! _Why won't you listen to me_?!”

“Because this is crazy! _It doesn't make any sense_!”

“This land is cursed!” Sam yelled over them, “ _People have died here_. Now, are you gonna really take that risk with your family?”

“Shh! Shut up! Everyone be quiet!” Angel hushed everyone as a noise in the distance immediately had her hair standing on edge, “Do you hear that?”

From somewhere earby, a very loud buzzing noise could be heard. And it only grew louder and louder as the seconds ticked by.

Larry looked around into the dark distance, “What the hell?”

The fluorescent bug light on the porch began to overheat, killing several bugs at a time. 

“All right, it's time to go.” Dean motioned to Larry who turned towards his front door, “Larry, get your wife.”

Matt pointed, “Guys.”

All of them looked up to the sky as millions of bugs began flying towards the house, blanketing the sky.

Larry paled, “Oh my God.”

Angel's breath started coming quiver and quicker, “We’ll never make it out of here in time.”

“Everybody in the house.” Dean kicked into hyper drive and pushed everyone inside, “Everybody in the house, _go_!”

Theyall rushed inside the house and Angel slammed the door behind them, locking it for good measure. She leaned up against it as she tried not to hyperventilate at the thought of millions of bugs catapulting towards the.

Sam turned to Larry, “Okay, is there anybody else in the neighborhood?”

“No, it's just us.”

“Honey, what's happening?” Joanie looked around at everyone a little freaked out, “What's that noise?”

“Call 911.” He instructed, panicking when she didn't move, “Joanie!”

She jumped but hurried over to the landline, “Okay.”

“Towels.” Dean said hurriedly, “I need towels.”

Larry pointed, “Uh, in the closet.”

Sam hurried to Matt, “Okay, we've gotta lock this place up, come on: _doors, windows, fireplace, everything_ , okay?”

Joanie shook her head, “Phones are dead.”

Dean hurried to the front door where Angel was hyperventilating, “They must have chewed through the phone lines.” 

At that statement Angel's pounding chest became an even greater feeling. Her breathing was coming in short bursts as she dropped to her knees. Tears fell down her face but she wasn't even aware she was crying. The ever impending doom of being eaten alive by bugs was the only thing on her mind. She could handle a lot of things, _demons and monsters alike_ , but _this_ and _tight dark spaces_ were things she _actively avoided_.

“Angel, _Angel look at me_.” Dean grabbed her by the shoulders and forced her to make eye contact, “You gotta calm down okay? I need you at one hundred right now.”

Larry's voice earned a death glare from Dean, “What the hells wrong with her?”

“ _Nothing_ .” He snapped, “She's just, _got a thing with bugs_ .” He turned back to his sister and wiped the tears off her face, “C’mon you can face this. I've seen you go head to head with freakin werewolves and wendigos for crying out loud. You're strong enough to face _this_. We gotta help this family.”

“Okay… okay, im fine.” She sniffled a little, the panic still ever present as she began helping Dean put the towels at the base of the front door, “I can do this. I can-”

The power instantly went out, darkening the whole room and nearly sending her back into panic mode.

Angel shut her eyes tightly and tried not let the swarming sounds around them affect her, “ _Shit, shit, shit._ ”

“I need my cell.” Larry flailed around for a second before finally finding it and picking it up, “ _No signal_.”

“You won't get one.” Dean said as he and Angel moved to the middle of the room once Sam and Matt came downstairs, “They're blanketing the house.”

Millions of bugs began collecting on the doors and windows, covering the entire building. The six of them watched in disgust, waiting for something to happen.

Larry looked to the boys, “So what do we do now?”

“We try to outlast it.” Sam answered, sending a worried look to his pale wide eyed sister, “Hopefully, the curse will end at sunrise.”

“ _Hopefully_?”

In the kitchen, Dean searched the cabinets frantically. He found a can of bug spray and quickly returned to the living room.

Joanie eyed the can, “ _Bug spray_?”

“ _Trust me_.”

A creaking noise sounded from somewhere around the fireplace earning all of their attention.

Matt's voice was panicked, “What is that?”

Angels breathing sped up yet again as she watched her brothers walk toward the chimney. 

Sam looked it over as the creaking got louder and louder, “The _flue_.”

Dean backed up, “Alright, I think everybody needs to get upstairs.”

Suddenly, hundreds of thousands of bugs swarmed into the living room, swarming all around them. They screamed and swatted at them as they tried to protect themselves. Dean used a lighter with the can of bug spray to make it flare up. The flame warded some of the bugs away.

“Alright, everybody upstairs! Now! _Go, go, go_!”

They all sprinted to the attic, Dean right behind them. Once inside, Sam slammed the door shut. After a few seconds of being up there, the buzzing of prowling insects ever present, sawdust began to fall from the ceiling. The buzzing of bees seemed to grow louder and louder.

“Oh, God.” Joanie whimpered as she pointed to the falling sawdust, “What's that?”

Angel's eyes widened, “Something's eating through the wood.”

Matt looked at them, “ _Termites_.”

“Alright, everybody get back.” Dean instructed the Pike family, “ _Get back, get back, get back_!”

The three Pikes moved as far into the corner of the attic as they could as Angel frantically searched around the attic. 

“We need to find something to cover-”

A second later, the bugs chewed a hole through the ceiling and swarmed around the room. The Winchesters frantically tried to patch up the hole in the ceiling with a metal, but it only worked for a second. At two other places in the attic ceiling the termites chewed even bigger holes. Dean tried to ward them off with the fire but nothing seemed to work. Sam grabbed him and Angel and brought them over into a huddle with the Pikes. Dean and Sam tried to cover the group with their jackets as they swatted the bugs away.

Then, suddenly, the sun rose and miraculously, the bugs started to leave through the holes in the ceiling. Confused, the Winchesters walked over to see what happened. Through the hole, they saw the bugs in the sky, near the sun, in one enormous colony flying away. Angel sighed in relief at that earning a side hug from Sam who smiled.

**SECTION FIVE**

**_Pike residence: The next morning…_ **

The three Winchester approached Larry as he placed boxes into a moving van.

“What, no goodbye?”

Larry turned to them at Deans voice, “Good timing. Another hour and we'd have been gone.”

He shook all of their hands with an appreciative smile.

Angel looked at him curiously, “You guys leaving for good?”

“Yeah. The development's been put on hold while the government investigates those bones you found. _But I'm gonna make damn sure no one lives here again_.”

Sam smirked as he studied Larry, “You don't seem too upset about it.”

“Well, this has been the biggest financial disaster of my career, but…” He looked over at Matt who was carrying a box to the garage, “Somehow, I really don't care.”

The Winchesters shared a smile with Larry before Sam walked over to Matt. He looked him over curiously once he noticed the kid was throwing out all of his insect paraphernalia.

“What's this?”

“I don't know…” He pointed to the trash with a shiver, “They kind of weird me out now.”

Sam chuckled, “Yeah, I should hope so.”

A few minutes later, Sam joined Angel and Dean by the car. They watched Larry and Matt, who were now getting along very well.

Sams eyes saddened, “I wanna find Dad.”

Dean nodded as he watched the two Pikes as well, “Yeah, me too.”

Angel crossed her arms with a sigh, “I do too, boys.”

“I just… I want to apologize to him.”

Dean turned, “For what?”

“All the things I said to him. He was just doing the best he could.”

“Don't worry, Sammy.” Angel winked, “We’re gonna find him.”

“And then you'll apologize.” Dean added before smirking, “ _And then within five minutes, you guys will be at each other's throats_.”

Sam laughed, “Yeah, probably.”

They sat in silence for a few seconds before Angel walked to the passenger side, “What do you boys say we get the hell out of Bugville, hm?”

Dean jingled his keys, “ _Let's_.”

They got in the car, giving one last wave to Larry and Matt before driving off.


	5. Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sam is haunted by a vision of a woman trapped in his childhood house and convinces a reluctant Angel and Dean that they need to go home. Upon arrival, they meet the woman in Sam's premonition and she reveals that the house is haunted. Looking into their personal history, the three discover their father had visited a psychic after their mother's death and they turn to the same woman for answers of their own. Together they discover a malevolent poltergeist has inhabited the house and set out to exorcise it, but are blindsided when another unseen spirit steps in.

**DISCLAIMER:** I only own my character! Anything you might recognize is courtesy of the CW.

  
**WARNING:** Some of these episodes/chapters may contain graphic violence, cursing, mentions of suicide or assault and other triggering aspects. Proceed with caution please.

Early in the morning Sam sat drawing a picture of a tree after having a disturbing dream the previous night. Angel was in the shower and Dean had his laptop open to search for a new case.

“Alright. I’ve been cruisin’ some websites. I think I found a few candidates for our next gig. A fishing trawler found off the coast of Cali- _its crew vanished_ . And, uh, we got some cattle mutilations in West Texas.” Dean gave his brother a look once he realized he wasn't listening, “ _Hey_ .” Sam looked up from his drawing, “Am I boring you with this ‘ _hunting evil’_ stuff?”

“No.” He answered too quickly as Angel came out of the bathroom fully dressed, a towel wrapped around her hair, “I’m listening. Keep going.”

“ _Oh_ . Tell him about the three shots guy.” Angel mumbled around the toothbrush in her mouth, “ _That's_ my favorite.”

“Right.” Dean pointed, “A Sacramento man shot himself in the head. _Three times_. Looks pretty interesting.”

“Sounds pretty witchy. Always interesting.” 

Angel said as she nodded with interest and looked over to an extremely zoned out Sam.

She took out the toothbrush and waved her hand in his face, “Yo, Sam, what's with you? You've been like _white out brain_ all morning. How does someone shooting themself three times in the head _not_ get you in gear?” 

Sam ignored her but studied the picture he doodled, “Wait... I’ve seen this.”

“Seen what?” Dean asked coming over to them

Angel looked over Sam's shoulder, “A tree?”

Sam got up from the bed and went searching through his duffel bag. He found a photo of their family from when he was a baby and compared the tree in the photo to his drawing. They were exactly the same.

“Guys, I know where we have to go next.”

Dean and Angel looked at each other before looking at him, “ _Where_?”

“Back home. _Back to Kansas_.”

Angel laughed stiffly, “You're _kidding_ right?”

At his serious look Dean gaped at him as well, “Okay, _random_ . Where’d _that_ come from?”

Sam showed them the photo, “Alright, um, this photo was taken in front of our old house, right? The house where Mom died?” They nodded, “And it didn’t burn down, right? I mean, _not completely_ , they _rebuilt_ it, right?”

Dean looked to Angel who shrugged uncomfortably, “ _Yeah_ , Sam they rebuilt it. So what?”

“What the hell are you talking about?”

“Okay, look, this is gonna sound crazy but… the people who live in our old house- _I think they might be in danger_.”

Angel tensed as she watched him, “Sam that doesn't make any sense.”

“Why would you think that?”

“Uh… it’s just, um…” He looked nervous and tight lipped as he skipped over the truth, “ _Look_ , just trust me on this, okay?” 

He started to walk away but Dean and Angel followed him, not dropping the subject.

“Wait, whoa, whoa…” Dean scoffed incredulously, “ _Trust you_?” 

“ _Yeah_.”

“ _No, no, no_ ,” Angel quipped, “You don't get to go all _Sixth Sense weird_ with the death house and say to ‘ _trust you_ ’ without some more information buddy. That's not how this is working.”

“Yeah.” Dean agreed, “Come on, man, that’s _weak_. You gotta give us a little bit more than that.”

“I can’t really explain it is all.”

“Well, _tough_.” Dean stated coldly, motioning between he and Angel who now had the toothbrush back in her mouth but was staring at her youngest brother incredulously, “We’re not goin’ anywhere until you do.” 

Sam sighed, sealing his lips. They waited expectantly, their eyes boring into his.

He rolled his eyes, “I have these… _nightmares_.”

Dean nodded, “I’ve noticed.”

“We both have.” Angel agreed, spitting out the last of the toothpaste and rinsing the brush, “You're pretty loud.”

“Well sometimes…” He motioned, “They come true.”

Angel's face scrunched up, confused, “Uh… what?”

Dean also looked stunned, “Come again?”

“Like Deja Vu, little brother?”

“No.” He took a steadying breath, “ _Look…_ I dreamt about Jessica’s death- _for days before it happened_.”

“So you think you have premonitions…” Angel nodded, trying to understand but it wasn't all that easy, “That's what this… tree in front of our house is about?”

Dean shook his head as he sat on the bed, “Sam, people have weird dreams, man. I’m sure it’s just a coincidence.”

“ _No_ , I dreamt about the blood dripping, her on the ceiling, the fire, _everything_ , and I didn’t do anything about it because I didn’t believe it. And _now_ I’m dreaming about _that_ tree, _about our house_ , and about some woman inside screaming for help.” His eyes pleaded with them, “I mean, that’s where it all started, guys, this has to mean something, right?”

Angel quieted as she leaned on the wall, not looking at him. She was afraid if she did, emotion would spill out. Emotion she didn't really want to open and deal with at the moment.

Dean also looked over at him overwhelmed, “I don’t know.”

Sam moved so sit in between them at the table, “What do you mean you don’t know? Guys this woman might be in danger. I mean, _this might even be the thing that killed Mom and Jessica_!”

“We don't know that, Sam.” Angel snapped, “We don't know anything, _anything_ about whatever the hell you've got in your head, little b.” She pierced him with a stare, “I mean you kept this from us for how long? That you've got some big bad ass shining power? _And now you wanna run back home too_ ? I'm _not_ going back there. I- i _can't…_ ”

“Yeah…” Dean scoffed, earning Sam's attention, “Especially when…”

Sam eyed him, “When what?”

“We both swore we’d never step foot back there. Not after the fire… and mom…” Angel finished sadly, averting her eyes for fear of the tears that might betray her, “Sam… you didn't see what happened. You were a baby. Dean and i… we saw _everything_. It's a lot to go back to.”

“Look, guys, we _have_ to check this out.” Sam pressed softly, “I know it’s hard after everything that's happened, after losing mom, but… we need to make sure.”

Dean's pained expression stayed on his face but he nodded nonetheless, “Yeah… I guess we do…”

Angel shook her head, not liking this one bit but now she was outnumbered, “Lets just make it quick.”

**_At the Winchester house…_ **

Sam looked at his siblings as they pulled up to the familiar house, “You two gonna be alright?”

Dean and Angel painfully looked at one another before the latter spoke, “Rain check on that answer.”

Sam got out first and Dean looked back at his older sister, recognizing that all too familiar grim look in her eye, “You alright Ang?”

“No.” She sighed as she shook her head, “But we’re here anyway so we might as well get it over with.”

They got out of the car and knocked on the front door. Jenny, the young blond from Sam's dream answered politely. Sam was momentarily shocked by her but the other two Winchesters dont recognize her. They do however note Sam's demeanor and recognition.

She looks at them expectantly, “Yes?”

Dean started, “Sorry to bother you, ma’am, but we’re with the Federal-”

“I’m Sam Winchester, and this is my brother, Dean and my sister, Angel.” Sam quickly interrupted, “We used to live here. You know, we were just driving by, and we were wondering if we could come see the old place.”

“Winchester…” She repeated with a smile, “Yeah, that’s so funny. You know, I think I found some of your photos the other night.”

“You did?”

She nodded as she stepped aside, “Come on in. I’m Jenny.”

The four of them go to the kitchen where two kids were occupied. One with doing homework and the other in a playpen. 

“Juice! Juice! Juice! Juice!”

“That’s Ritchie. He’s kind of a juice junkie.” She took a sippy cup out of the refrigerator and handed it to him, “But, hey, at least he won’t get scurvy.”

Angel laughed and waved back when Richie waved to her, “He's adorable.”

“Thanks.” Jenny walked over to the other child, “Sari, this is Sam, Angel and Dean. They used to live here.”

Sari looked up, “Hi.”

Dean waved, Angel smiled and Sam nodded, “Hey, Sari.”

Dean turned to Jenny, “So, you just moved in?”

“Yeah, from Wichita.”

“You got family here, or…?”

“No. I just, uh…” She looked away, “Needed a fresh start, that’s all. So, _new town, new job_ \- I mean, as soon as I find one. _New house_.”

Angel nodded as she idled around. Her eyes swept over the house, each thing bringing back memories of her childhood. Sadness filled her as she thought of her mother but she tried to push it down.

“So…” Angels eyes finally met Jennys, “Do you love it?”

She laughed tightly, “Well, uh, _all due respect to your childhood home_ \- I mean, I’m sure you had lots of happy memories here…” Angel smiled weakly, “But this place has its issues.”

Sam eyed her, curious, “What do you mean?”

“Well, it’s just getting old. Like the wiring, you know? We’ve got flickering lights almost hourly.”

“Flickering lights huh?” 

Angel repeated as she shared a look with Sam and Dean.

Deans jaw tensed, “That’s too bad. What else?”

“Um… sinks backed up, there’s rats in the basement…” She paused, “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to complain.”

“No, it’s fine.” Dean wasn't offended so he quickly dismissed her apology, “Have you seen the rats or have you just heard scratching?”

“It’s just the scratching, actually.”

“Mom?” Sari called and Jenny knelt down next to her, “Ask them if it was here when they lived here.”

Sam knelt, “What, Sari?”

“The thing in my closet.”

“Oh, no, baby, there was nothing in their closets.” She looked up to the three of them expectantly, “Right?”

“Right.” Angel smiled tightly, “No, no, of course not.”

“She had a nightmare the other night.”

“I wasn’t dreaming. It came into my bedroom- _and it was on fire_.” 

At that revelation all three of them tensed with shock.

**SECTION TWO**

As the three of them walked back to the car, Sam turned, “You hear that? _A figure on fire_.”

“And that woman, Jenny…” Dean asked, “That was the woman in your dreams?”

“Yeah.”

Angel scoffed, sending a glance back at the house warily, “And you heard what she explained right? _Scratching, flickering lights_ … all signs of a malevolent spirit.”

“Forget about that.” Dean abruptly dismissed Angel's worry, “I’m more freaked out that your weirdo visions are coming true, Sam.”

Sam panicked, “Well, forget about that for a minute. The thing in the house, do you guys think it’s the thing that killed Mom and Jessica?”

“ _Sam_.” Angel quipped, “We don't know! We don't have enough information yet!” 

“Well, I mean, has it come back or has it been here the whole time?!”

“ _We don't know_ .” Angel repeated slowly, “We need more information. For all we know, what we’re dealing with _right now_ is something else entirely.”

“Well, those people are in danger.” Sam pointed, looking at both of them intensely, “We have to get ‘em out of that house.”

Angel rolled her eyes, “And we will.”

“No, I mean _now_.”

“And how you gonna do that, huh?” Dean stopped him, “You got a story that she’s gonna believe?”

Sam shifted, irritated, “Then what are we supposed to do?”

**_Local gas station…_ **

“We just gotta chill out, that’s all. All of us are… _scatterbrained_ because we’re too close to this.” Dean instructed, “You know, if this was any other kind of job, _what would we do_?”

Sam sighed deeply, splaying his hands on the roof of the impala as Angel leaned next to him, “We’d try to figure out what we were dealing with. We’d dig into the history of the house.”

“Exactly, except this time…” Angel's face held a grim look, “ _We already know what happened_.”

“Yeah, but how much _do_ we know?” Sam turned to them with questioning eyes, “I mean, how much do you two actually remember?”

Angel instantly quieted, not wanting to say anything further. It took her years to get over the nightmares that plagued her from that night and she had a feeling this job was going to bring them back.

Dean studied the gas pump as he filled up the impala, “About that night, you mean?”

“Yeah.”

“I don’t remember much. I remember the fire… the heat.” He paused for a moment then looked at their older sister, “And then Angel taking you and getting us out of there.”

Sam looked her over, “You did?”

“Yeah…” She said softly, clearing her throat of the lump that formed, “You never knew that?”

Sam shook his head, “No.”

Dean studied her, “What do you remember, Ang?”

“I don't know, boys…” She ran a hand through her hair as the memories flooded her, “I don’t- _I can’t_ -”

“It’s okay, Angie.” Sam caught her hand and gave it a squeeze, “We’re right here with you.”

Taking a steadying breath she nodded, “Uh… Okay, well… i guess the first thing i remember is waking up to some creepy ass… _thing_ in my room with bright yellow eyes.”

Shock filled Dean's eyes, “You never told me that…”

She shrugged as she looked down, “I thought I was having a nightmare or something. I mean, I blinked and it was gone. A few minutes later Dad was screaming and there was smoke everywhere… I came out of my room to get Dean and that's when we saw your nursery was on fire. Dad ran out and handed you to me and told me to take you boys outside… so i did.” She cleared the emotion from her throat as all the memories she's tried to black out came flooding back, “I guess it could've been some kind of benevolent evil spirit but… _I dont know_ … It's been so long.” 

Dean nodded, saddening at the pain in her eyes and moving on, “Well we all know _Dad's_ story. Mom was… was on the ceiling. And whatever put her there was long gone by the time Dad found her.”

“And he never had a theory about what did it?”

“If he did, he kept it to himself.” Angel answered, “Even after I told him what I saw.”

Dean scoffed, “God knows we asked him enough times.”

“Yellow eyes, huh?” She nodded and Sam sighed, “Okay… So, if we’re gonna figure out what’s going on now… we have to figure out what happened back then. And see if it’s the same thing.”

“Yeah.” Angel nodded, “I guess we can start by talking to Dad’s friends, neighbors, people who were there at the time.” She looked to Dean, “Sound good?”

“Yeah.”

Sam looked to them after a pause, “Does this feel like just another job to you?”

Dean said nothing and Angel swallowed before motioning, “I’ll be right back. I gotta go to the bathroom.” 

She quickly walked away from them and turned a corner to the back of the gas station. Standing next to the bathroom door she took out her cell phone and dialed a familiar number. After making sure her brothers weren't lurking around she hit send and hoped for the best.

_“This is John Winchester. If this is an emergency, call my daughter Angel at 866-907-3006 or my son Dean at 866-907-3235. One of them can help.”_

“Dad… I know I’ve been leaving you messages left and right lately and… I understand that you're busy trying to hunt the thing that…” She once again cleared her throat of emotion, “Um, well… I’m with Sam and Dean, and we’re in Lawrence, _of all places_ . Dad, there’s something in our old house. _Something terrible_ . I don’t know if it’s the thing that killed Mom or not, but…” Her voice broke and she paused for a second, barely keeping herself together, “I don’t know what to do, Dad. I need you here to tell me what to do. Tell me if this is too dangerous for the boys- _for us_ or whatever… or at least tell me what we’re dealing with here...” Tears began trailing down her face silently, “So, whatever you’re doing… Dad, if you could just get here. _Please_ . I need your help. _We need your help_.” 

She hung up sadly, with more tears in her eyes as well as ones falling down her cheeks. Pulling herself together she wiped her face and tried to calm down before rejoining her brothers.

**_Guenthers Auto Repair…_ **

The three Winchesters walked through the repair shop as they talked to one of the owners of the garage.

Angel motioned around, “So… you and John Winchester, you used to own this garage together?”

“That's right, sweetheart.” He nodded, “ _A long time ago_ . Matter of fact, it must be, uh… around _twenty years_ since John disappeared. So why the cops interested _all of a sudden_?”

Dean waved, “Oh, we’re re-opening some of our unsolved cases, and the Winchester disappearance is one of ‘em.”

“Oh, well, what do you wanna know about John?”

“Whatever you remember. You know, whatever sticks out in your mind.”

“Well… he was a stubborn bastard, I remember _that_ .” He chuckled, “And, uh, whatever the game, he _hated_ to lose, you know? It’s that whole _Marine_ thing.” The three of them nod, “But, oh, he sure loved Mary, and he _doted_ on those kids.”

Sam shifted, “But that was _before_ the fire?”

“That’s right.”

“He ever talk about that night?”

“No, not at first.” He shook his head, “I think he was in shock.”

“Right. But _eventually_? What did he say about it?”

“Oh, he wasn’t thinkin’ straight. He said uh… He said somethin’ _caused_ that fire and killed Mary.”

“He did?” Angel pressed, “He ever say what that thing _was_?”

“Nothin’ _did_ it. It was an accident- an electrical short in the ceiling or walls or somethin’. I _begged_ him to get some help, but…”

Dean pressed, “But _what_?”

“Oh, he just got worse and worse.”

“How?”

“Oh, he started readin’ these strange old books. He started goin’ to see this _palm reader_ in town.”

“Palm reader?” Deans interest was instantly perked, “Uh, do you have a name?”

The owner scoffed, “ _No_.”

Angel shrugged turning to her brothers, “Can’t be hard to find in a town this small.”

**SECTION THREE**

The Impala is parked by a payphone, where Sam flipped through a phonebook, “All right, so there are a few psychics and palm readers in town. There’s someone named _El Divino_ . There’s, uh-” He laughed, “There’s the _Mysterious Mister Fortinsky_ . Uh, _Missouri Moseley_ -”

“Wait, wait.” Dean stopped, “ _Missouri Moseley_?”

“What?”

“That’s a _psychic_?”

“Uh, yeah. Yeah, I guess so.”

“Why?” Angel pressed Dean, not thinking the name had any sort of importance to her, “Sound familiar?”

Dean went into the backseat of the car and pulled out John’s journal, “In Dad’s journal… _here_ , look at this.” He opened the first page, “ _First page, first sentence_ , read that.”

“‘ _I went to Missouri and I learned the truth_.’”

Dean shrugged, “I always thought he meant the _state_.”

Angel raised a brow, “But now you think he means a _psychic_?” At his eye she shrugged and started to get into the car, “Can't hurt to check it out.”

**_Missouri Moseleys house…_ **

Missouri Moseley, an older woman, escorted a man out of the house as the three Winchester siblings sat on the couch waiting for their turn.

“Alright, there. Don’t you worry ‘bout a thing. Your wife is crazy about you.” The man thanked her and she closed the front door behind him, “ _Whew_. Poor bastard. His woman is cold-bangin’ the gardener.”

Angel smirked, “Why not tell him?”

“People don’t come here for the truth, darlin’. _They come for good news_ .” The three stare at her silently, “Well? _Sam, Dean, Angel_ come on already. _I ain’t got all day_.” 

As she left the room, the three of them exchanged confused and shocked looks before following her.

“Lemme look at ya.” She turned and chuckled as she brought them closer, “Angel, my oh my… you really are the spittin image of your momma. _So beautiful_ . You've grown up to look just like her, darlin.” She turned, “Oh, and you boys grew up handsome, just like your daddy.” She pointed a finger at Dean, “And you were one goofy-lookin' kid, too.” Dean glared as Angel and Sam chuckled, “ _Sam_.” She grabbed his hand, “Oh, honey… I’m sorry about your girlfriend.” The three stared at her in shock once again, “And your father- he’s missin’?”

Sam gaped, “How’d you know all that?”

“Well, you were just thinkin’ it just now.”

Angel raised a perfectly arched brow, “So… _you can read minds_?”

“ _Skeptic_?” She grinned, “Those are my favorite customers.”

“Where's our dad?” Dean shifted, “Is he okay?”

“I don’t know.”

“ _Don’t know_ ? Well, you’re supposed to be a _psychic_ , right?”

“Boy, you see me sawin’ some bony tramp in half? _You think I’m a magician_ ? I may be able to read thoughts and sense energies in a room, but I can’t just pull facts out of thin air. _Sit_ , please.” 

Sam smirked at Dean and after a cautious look from Angel they sat down. 

Missouri instantly snapped at Dean, “ _Boy_ , you put your foot on my coffee table, I’m ‘a whack you with a spoon!”

Angel glared at him, “ _Dean_.”

“I didn’t do anything!”

“But you were _thinkin’_ about it.” 

Dean raised his eyebrows as Sam grinned, getting back to business, “Okay. So, _our dad_ \- when did you first meet him?”

“He came for a reading a few days after the fire. I just told him what was really out there in the dark. I guess you could say… _I drew back the curtains for him_.”

“Ah.” Angel mused, “So you told him what goes bump in the night?”

“Pretty much.”

“What about the fire?” Dean interjected, “Do you know about what killed our mom?”

“ _A little._ Your daddy took me to your house. He was hopin’ I could sense the _echoes_ , the _fingerprints_ of this _thing_.”

“And could you?”

She paused sadly before shaking her head.

Sam pressed, “What was it?”

Her voice softened, “I don’t know. Oh, _but it was evil_.” She looked up at them, “So… you think somethin’ is back in that house?”

“ _Definitely_.”

Missouri frowned, “I don’t understand.”

“What?”

“I haven’t been back inside, but I’ve been keepin’ an eye on the place, and it’s been quiet. _No sudden deaths, no freak accidents_ . Why is it actin’ up _now_?”

“We don't know.” Sam answered, “But _Dad going missing_ and _Jessica dying_ and now _this house_ all happening at once… It just feels like _something’s_ starting.”

Dean scoffed, “That’s a comforting thought.”

Angel smirked, “Just another thing to keep us warm at night.”

**_Back at the Winchester House…_ **

Angel knocked on the door of the house with Dean, Sam and Missouri behind her. Jenny answered the door looking disheveled and panicked.

She eyed the group of them warily, “Angel, Sam, Dean… What are you doing here?”

“Hey, Jenny.” Sam smiled moving to the side, “This is our friend, _Missouri_.”

“If it’s not too much trouble, we were hoping to show her the old house.” Angel gave her a smile as well, “You know, for old time’s sake.”

“You know, this isn’t a good time. I’m kind of busy.”

“Listen, Jenny, it’s important.” Dean quipped and got a quick smack in the head from Missouri, “Ow!”

“Give the poor girl a break, can’t you see she’s upset?” She turned to Jenny, “ _Forgive this boy_ , he means well. He’s just not the sharpest tool in the shed, but hear me out.”

Dean looked stunned, his siblings smirking as they were entertained but Jenny shifted uncomfortably, “About what?”

“About this house.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I think you know what I’m talking about. You think there’s _something_ in this house, _something_ that wants to hurt your family. Am I mistaken?”

Shock filled Jenny, “Who are you?”

“We’re people who can help, _who can stop this thing_ . But you’re gonna have to trust us, _just a little_.” Jenny looked unsure but conceded, letting Missouri and the three Winchester siblings inside and leading them too Sari’s bedroom, “If there’s a dark energy around here, this room should be the center of it.”

Sam looked around in curiosity, “Why?”

Angel's breath sped up as her gut feeling got worse and worse, “Sam this use to be your nursery. This was where mom died.”

Sam glanced from his sister to the ceiling at that revelation. While Missouri and Angel looked around the room, Dean pulled out his EMF meter.

Missouri eyed it, “That an EMF?”

“Yeah.”

“ _Amateur_.” 

Dean glared at her again before nudging Sam and showing him that the EMF is beeping frantically.

“I don’t know if you three should be disappointed or relieved, but… _this ain’t the thing that took your mom_.”

Sam's eyes snapped to Missouris, “Wait, are you sure?” She nodded, “How do you know?”

“It isn’t the same energy I felt the last time I was here. It’s somethin’ different.”

“Different how?” Angel pressed, “What is it?”

“Not _it_ .” She opened the closet, “ _Them_. There’s more than one spirit in this place.”

“What are they doing here?”

“They’re here because of what happened to your family. You see, all those years ago, _real evil came to you_ . It _walked_ this house. That kind of evil leaves wounds. And sometimes… _wounds get infected_.”

Sam shook his head, “I don’t understand.”

“This place is a magnet for paranormal energy. It attracted a poltergeist. _A nasty one_ . And it won’t rest until Jenny and her babies are _dead_.”

Angel sighed as her eyes swept the room again, “You said there was more than one spirit?”

“There is.” She walked in and out of the closet, “I just can’t quite make out the second one.”

Deans jaw tensed, “Well, _one thing’s for damn sure_ \- nobody’s dying in this house ever again. So whatever is here, how do we stop it?”

**_Missouri's House…_ **

The four of them sat around a table where Missouri had different herbs and roots laid out. Angel looked all of it over as she loaded her rock salt shotgun. 

Then her eyes landed on Missouri's curiously who was already looking at her, “So… what is all this?”

Missouri explained, pointing to each thing, “Angelica Root, Van Van oil, crossroad dirt, a few other odds and ends.”

“Yeah?” Dean asked, “What are we supposed to do with it?”

“We’re gonna put them inside the walls in the _north, south, east, and west_ corners on each floor of the house.”

“We’ll be punching holes in the drywall.” Dean scoffed going back to loading his own shotgun, “Jenny’s gonna _love_ that.”

Missouri's head came up slyly, “She’ll live.”

“And this’ll destroy the spirits?”

“It should. It should purify the house completely.”

Angle nodded as she was on board with the plan and cocked her shotgun, “Then it's worth the risk _and_ the damage to the house for me.”

“We’ll each take a floor. _But we work fast_ .” As Missouri talked Dean put something in his mouth and grimaced, earning a hit in the shoulder from Angel, Missouri continued as she ignored them, “Once the spirits realize what we’re up to, things are gonna get _bad_.”

**_Back at the Winchester house…_ **

Missouri walked Jenny and her kids outside, “Look, I’m not sure I’m comfortable leaving you guys here alone.”

“Just take your kids to the movies or somethin’, and it’ll be over by the time you get back.”

Jenny, still slightly unsure, got a small comforting squeeze on her arm from Angel, “Jenny, you have my word that by the time you guys come back this will all be over. _I promise_. You just have to trust us, okay?” 

Jenny stared into her eyes for a second before nodding and leaving with her kids. Once they were off the premises, Angel and Missouri went back inside the house.

Angel took the attic as her zone while Sam got the room below her, then Dean with the kitchen and Missouri with the basement. She knelt down by the wall and began using the end of the hammer to make a hole their. While she worked, the bookshelf behind her teetered. A creek was the only warning before she turned to see the giant oak bookshelf coming straight for her from the other end of the room. She scrambled out of the way and it crumpled into a heap of wood beside her. Before she could process the attack, a coat rack slammed down next to her head but missed her by inches. She scurried from it as it repeatedly tried to attack her. Finally she was able to slam the bag Missouri gave her into a wall, ceasing the attacks. 

Taking a couple breaths to steady herself she heard commotion downstairs, “The boys…”

Sprinting from the attic, she hurried downstairs to the kitchen to find it empty and then scurried to the room where Sam was supposed to be. Panic struck her when she saw him being strangled to death by a lamp cord as Dean tried to untangle it.

“Sam!” 

She bolted over to them just as Dean got up and kicked a hole in the wall. He threw the bag of herbs inside causing a blinding white light to engulf the room as the spirit left the house. Once the spirit was gone, Dean ran back over to them, dropping beside Angel as she started unraveling the cord from Sam, who was now completely weak. The three of them pull each other into a fierce hug thinking about the close call they just encountered.

**SECTION FOUR**

A little while later, the four of them stood in the extremely messy kitchen surveying the destruction. Sam looked around, then to his siblings trying to see if they were satisfied with wha happened. Sam himself wasn't convinced that this was done. It didn't feel done.

He made eye contact with Missouri, “You sure this is over?”

“I’m sure…” She nodded before turning, “Why do you ask?”

“Nevermind.” He sighed, “It’s nothin’, I guess.”

Jenny entered the house finally, “Hello? We’re home.” She came into the kitchen and looked around in shock, “What happened?”

“Uh… a lot happened but we’re going to pay for the damage.” Angel explained, “ _And_ help clean it. Really Jenny.” 

Dean looked over at his sister in confusion, earning a smile from Missouri.

“Don’t you worry, Jenny. _Dean’s_ gonna clean up this mess himself.” She eyed him once he just stood there, not moving, “Well, what are you waiting for, boy? _Get the mop_.” Glaring he walked away as she spoke, “And don’t cuss at me!” 

As he walked away, he muttered under his breath. A little while later, after Dean cleaned up the mess to Missouri's satisfaction, they left the house and waved goodbye to Jenny before she shut the door behind them.

**_Later that night…_ **

Outside Jenny's house, Dean parked the Impala at the insistence of Sam.

He looked over to Sam tiredly, “Alright, so, tell me again, what are we still doing here?”

Sam shook his head, “I don’t know. I just… I still have a bad feeling.”

“Maybe it's just the house giving you the creeps like it gives me the creeps.” Angel mused, “Missouri didn't seem to think anything was still inside.”

“Yeah…” Dean grumbled, “Missouri did her whole _Zelda Rubenstein_ thing. The house should be clean, it should be over.”

“Yeah, well, _probably_. But I just wanna make sure, that’s all.”

Dean sighed and grumbled, “Yeah, well, problem is I could be sleeping in a bed right now.” 

He slid down in his seat and closed his eyes, trying to get comfortable. 

Sam looked up and saw Jenny at her bedroom window screaming for help, “Guys. _Look, Look_!”

They rushed out of the car and ran towards the house.

Dean turned to them, “You two grab the kids, I’ll get Jenny.”

Sam rushed to get Richie as Angel went to get Sari. She stopped dead in her tracks when she saw a figure made out of fire standing by her closet. Sar screamed for help, crying to Angel when she saw her enter the room. Angel hugged the wall as she went to Saris bed, quickly picking her up into her arms tightly.

“Don’t look, Sari.” She kept her hand firmly on her head as she rushed out and repeated the things she said to her brothers all those years ago, “ _Don’t look_!” 

She rushed out of the bedroom and down the stairs as fast as she could, meeting Sam at the bottom. As soon as he put Richie down, an invisible force knocked him to the floor and flung him into the other room. 

Terror filled Angel, “Sammy!” She put Sari down and looked at her dead in the eye, hurriedly, “Alright, Sari, take your brother outside as fast as you can, and _don’t look back_ , okay? _Go_!” 

After they took off out of the house she sprinted off in Sam's direction, dodging flying furniture along her way. When she found him she was instantly slammed into a glass cabinet, incapacitating her.

Sari screamed as she ran outside with Ritchie. They rushed to Dean and Jenny immediately. 

Upon seeing just the kids, Dean knelt down to Sari nearing panic, “Sari, where’s Sam and Angel?

“Inside.” She cried, terrified, “Something’s got Sam.”

Panicked, Dean looked at the front door. It slammed shut on its own and when he rushed over to open it it wouldn't budge. He rushed over to the impala and opened the trunk to grab his rifle and an ax. Once he was back at the front door he began chopping away at it.

Inside the kitchen, Sam got flung into a set of cabinets next. He couldn't move any part of his body as he was pinned up by the invisible force. He looked over to his sister, and she also wasn’t moving.

More panic set in, “ _Angel_.” He gasped out, “Angel wake up!”

The fire figure made its way towards them as Dean continued chopping down parts of the door. Eventually, he made a hole that he is able to step through. He hurried through the house, looking for Sam and Angel.

“Sam? Angel!” 

He saw Angel on the ground and Sam pinned up as he looked at the fire figure in front of him. Dean quickly raised his gun but faltered as Sam yelled.

“Dean, no! Don’t!”

“What, _why_?!”

“Because I know who it is. I can see her now.”

Angel came too just then, with a groan. Dean painfully helped her up as she grimaced from the glass biting into her skin very painfully. When she finally stumbled to her feet and looked at the fiery figure, shock and pain resigned on her face.

“It…” 

Suddenly, the fire vanished. Instead, standing in front of them is Mary Winchester, exactly as she was the night she died. Dean's expression softened from beside his sister. 

In shock, he lowers his gun slowly, “Mom?”

Mary smiled and stepped closer to them, “Dean.” Tears form in Dean's eyes as Mary then turned to Angel and stared at her lovingly, “Angie…” Her eyes shifted between them, “Thank you.” 

“Mom…” 

Angel's breath caught as she cried and Mary walked away from them, heading over to Sam. Angel grabbed onto Dean, not really believing what she was watching. Neither one of them wanted to take their eyes off of their mother.

“Sam.” Sam smiled weakly as he cried and his mother’s smile faded, “I’m sorry.”

Sam frowned, “Fo- For what?”

She gave him a sad look but no explanation before walking away from them.

She looked up at the ceiling, “ _You get out of my house_. And let go of my son!”

Once again, she burst into flames. When she was entirely engulfed, the fire reached the ceiling and disappeared. The force holding Sam to the wall is instantly released. He hurried over to Dean and Angel, and the three of them looked at each other, stunned.

Sam's eyes swept the house, “ _Now_ it’s over.”

Angel scoffed, “That’s one hell of an ending…”

**SECTION FIVE**

The next morning, Dean stood by the car with Jenny as he looked through the old photos she found in the attic, “Thanks for these.”

“Don’t thank me. They’re yours.”

Once Angel walked over, Jenny gave her a hug before leaving.

Angel shuffled through the pictures sadly before looking up at her little brother, “I miss her, Dean…”

“I know… I do too, Angie.” 

Dean put the trunk of photos into the trunk before giving his sister a tight hug.

Angel wiped another lone tear from her cheek before turning to Sam who was sitting on the front steps of the house with Missouri, “You ready, Sammy?”

Sam nodded and went to the car. Jenny quickly thanked all of them one last time before Missouri looked at them knowingly.

“Don’t you three be strangers.”

Dean waved, “We won’t.”

“See you around.”


	6. Scarecrow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After arguing about the search for their father, Angel, Sam and Dean split ways - Sam to continue the search in California, Angel and Dean to hunt the mysterious disappearances of passing-through couples in Indiana.

**DISCLAIMER:** I only own my character! Anything you might recognize is courtesy of the CW.

  
**WARNING:** Some of these episodes/chapters may contain graphic violence, cursing, mentions of suicide or assault and other triggering aspects. Proceed with caution please.

_Previously skipped: Asylum…_

**_In a motel room…_ **

The Winchesters were all asleep in a motel room after having finished another job. Dean had a bed to himself as Angel and Sam bunked with each other this time. Angel's cell phone rang shrilly as it sat on the nightstand between the two beds, but it didn't wake her or Dean up. It did however, wake Sam up.

“Angel…” Sam grumbled, “ _Angel_ , that's yours.” 

He rolled his eyes when his sister sleepily put her pillow over her head. 

Leaning over her, he picked it up instead, “Hello?”

_“Sam, is that you?”_

“Dad?” Sam instantly sat up in bed at John's voice, “Are you hurt?”

_“I’m fine.”_

“We’ve been looking for you everywhere. We didn’t know where you were, if you were okay.”

_“Sammy, I’m all right. What about you, Angie and Dean?”_

Angel groaned from the bed, Sams talking having woke her up, “Shut _up_ , Sam. Go outside or something.”

“We’re fine.” Sam ignored her, “Dad, _where are you_?”

At that Angel instantly sat up, “ _Dad_?”

_“Sorry, kiddo, I can’t tell you that.”_

“What?” Sam scoffed, “Why not?”

Dean also woke up, sitting up as he looked between them, “What's going on?”

Angel looked to him quickly, “He's talking to dad…” She turned back to Sam, “What's happening?”

_“Look, I know this is hard for you to understand. You’re just gonna have to trust me on this.”_

“You’re after it, aren’t you?” Sam's eyes widened as realization came to him, “The thing that killed Mom.”

_“Yeah… It’s a demon, Sam.”_

“A demon?” Sam repeated in shock, “You know for sure?”

“A _demon_?” Deans brows scrunched together as Angel watched Sam closely, “What’s he saying?”

_“I do. Listen, Sammy, I, uh… I also know what happened to your girlfriend. I’m so sorry. I would’ve done anything to protect you from that.”_

Desperation filled Sam, “You know where it is?”

_“Yeah, I think I’m finally closing in on it.”_

Sam tensed, “Let us help.”

_“You can’t. You can’t be any part of it.”_

Sam scoffed, “Why not?”

Angel reached over, “Sam, give me the phone.”

_“Listen, Sammy, that’s why I’m calling. You, your sister and your brother, you gotta stop looking for me. Alright, now, I need you to write down these names.”_

“Names?” Sam shook his head, “What names, Dad- _talk_ to me, tell me what’s going on.”

_“Look, we don’t have time for this. This is bigger than you think, they’re everywhere. Even us talking right now, it’s not safe.”_

“No. Alright?” Sam dismissed with conviction, “No way.”

_“I have given you an order, young man. Now, you stop following me, and you do your job. You understand me? Now, take down these names.”_

At Sam's stiff posture, Angel grabbed the phone from him quickly, “Dad, it’s me. Where are you? What's going on?”

_“Look Angel, I’m giving you three an order okay? Stop looking for me, stop following me, just do the job. Do you understand me?”_

Her jaw tensed, “Yes, sir.”

_“Okay, good. Now get a pen and paper because I’ve got three names I need you guys to check into.”_

“Okay…” Ignoring Sam's glare and Dean's curious eye, she turned and got the hotel pen and pad that was sitting on the nightstand, “I’m ready. What are their names?”

**_Later on in the Impala…_ **

Sam drove as Dean sat passenger and Angel in the back.

Angel leaned to the front as Sam spoke, “Alright, so, the names Dad gave us, they’re all _couples_?

“Three different couples.” Dean nodded as he read something with his flashlight, “All went missing.”

“And they’re all from different towns? _Different states_?”

“That’s right. You got _Washington, New York, Colorado_. Each couple took a road trip cross-country. None of them arrived at their destination, and none of them were ever heard from again.”

“Well, it’s a big country, guys.” Irritation slipped into his voice, “They could’ve disappeared _anywhere_.”

“Yeah, _could’ve_ .” Angel looked to him, “But each one’s route took them to the same part of Indiana. Always in the _second_ week of April. _One year after another after another_.”

“ _This_ is the second week of April.”

Dean nodded, “Yep.”

“So, Dad is sending us to Indiana to go hunting for something _before_ another couple vanishes?”

“Yeah.” Angel nodded, “Said he was being proactive.”

“Can you imagine putting together a pattern like this?” Dean motioned, “All the different obits Dad had to go through? _The man’s a master_.” 

Sam looked annoyed and promptly pulled the car over to the side of the road before turning it off.

Angel eyed him, “Uh, what are you doing?”

“We’re _not_ going to Indiana.”

Deans brow raised, “We’re not?”

“ _No_ . We’re going to California.” Sam looked to them, “Dad called from a payphone. _Sacramento_ area code.”

Now Angels irritation was building, “Sam, we’re not going to Califo-”

“If this demon killed Mom and Jess, and Dad’s closing in, _we’ve gotta be there_.” Sam quickly interrupted, getting loud, “We’ve gotta help.”

Dean eyed him, “Dad doesn’t want our help.”

“Well, _I don’t care_.”

“He’s given us an _order_.”

“ _I don’t care_ .” Sam's voice became even firmer, “We don’t _always_ have to do what _he_ says.”

“ _Sam_ .” Angel quipped looking at him with dismissal, “All Dad’s asking from us is that we work these jobs to save lives because _it’s important_. These people need our help.”

“Alright, I understand that, _believe me_ , I understand. But I’m talking _one week_ here, guys, to get answers. _To get revenge_.”

“Look…” Dean tried to reign them in, “We both know how you feel Sam-”

“ _Do you_ ?” Dean and Angel both stare at him in shock at his tone, “How old were you two when Mom died? _Six and four_ ? Jess died _six months ago_. How the hell would you two know how I feel?”

“Are you _serious_ right now, Sam?” Hurt crossed Angel's face at his words but she squelched it, “You know what? Dad said it wasn't safe for any of us if we ran off to find him. _Obviously_ he knows something that we don't and he's trying to keep us safe. _So_ , if he says to stay away, _we stay away_.”

“I don’t understand the blind faith you two have in the man!” Sam yelled back, “I mean, it’s like you don’t even _question_ him.”

Dean angered, “Yeah, it’s called being a good kid!”

Sam angrily got out of the car followed by Dean and Angel. He went to the trunk and started unloading his things as Dean ripped into him.

“You’re a selfish bastard, you know that? You just do _whatever_ you want. Don’t care what _anybody_ thinks.”

Sam scoffed as he turned around angrily, “ _That’s_ what you really think?”

“Yes, it is!”

Angel pushed Dean back a little, “Alright that's enough-”

Sam angrily put on his backpack before he started stomping away, “Well, then this _selfish bastard_ is going to California!”

“Sam!” Angel called after him, “You're not serious right now. It's the middle of the night!”

“I _am_ serious.”

Dean instantly angered again, “Hey, we’re taking off and I _will_ leave your ass, _you hear me_?”

Sam stopped and quickly swung around, “That’s what I _want_ you to do.” 

The three of them stared at each other for a few seconds, waiting for someone to break. But the silence that stretched only seemed to piss Dean off even more.

Dean slammed the trunk of the impala closed, “ _Goodbye_ , Sam.” As he walked to the drivers side he made eye contact with a defeated Angel, “Lets go, Ang. Get in the car.”

She turned her eyes to her little brother, “ _Please_ just get in the car, Sam.”

“You _always_ side with him! _Always_ !” Sam yelled, “I mean, you used to have my back when we were younger but _now_ it's like you dont give a crap about how I feel!”

“Sam, that's not true. _You know that's not true_ .” She shook her head, “I'm just doing what I've _always_ done. _What i think is the right thing to do_ . Running off to California isn't the right thing, Sam. Working these jobs _is_.”

“Yeah because _Dad_ said too and you and Dean follow _everything_ he says like _good little soldiers no questions asked_ .” Sam bit back, missing the hurt that crossed Angel's face, “ _I_ think the right thing to do is to go and kill that _thing_ that ruined our entire lives, and I _know_ you feel that way too Angel. _I know it_ . So just… _come with me_.”

“I’m sorry, Sam but…” She shook her head, “ _I cant_.”

Hurt crossed his face but he quickly turned from her and walked away, breaking her heart.

**SECTION TWO**

**_Burkittsville, Indiana…_ **

Dean pulled over to the side of the road and shut the car off. He looked over to Angel and noticed she had her cell out and open to Sam’s contact. 

Regret filled his eyes as he watched her, “Think we should call him?”

“Maybe…” Angel sighed before closing her phone and putting it in her pocket, “Not right now though. Let's just get to work.”

They both get out of the car and walk over to Scotty’s Cafe where a man sat in a chair on the porch.

“Let me guess…” Dean gestured to the sign above them then to the man, “ _Scotty_.”

“ _Yep_.”

“Hi, my name’s John Bonham.” Dean introduced, “This is my sister Deborah.”

Scotty raised a brow, “Isn’t that the drummer for Led Zeppelin… _and_ his sister?”

“Wow. Good.” Dean laughed off his shock, “Classic rock fan.”

“What can I do for you, _John and Deborah_?”

Angel pulled out two missing persons flyers for Holly and Vince Parker and handed them over, “We were wondering if you might’ve seen these two around?”

“Nope.” He shook his head as he studied the flyers, “Who are they?”

“Friends of ours.” Dean answered, “They went missing about a year ago. They passed through somewhere around here, and we’ve already asked around Scottsburg and Salem-”

“Sorry.” Scotty quickly dismissed as he handed the flyers back over to Angel, “We don’t get many strangers around here.”

Dean and Angel each nodded stiffly as they watched him.

Dean smiled, “Scotty, you’ve got a smile that lights up a room, anybody ever tell you that?” Scotty stared at him strangely making him chuckle, “Never mind. See you around.”

As they walked away Angel scoffed, “Okay, _Mr. Creepy_ over there is _definitely_ hiding something.”

“Oh, yeah.” Dean shook his head, “Question is, _what_?”

**_Jorgeson General Store…_ **

Dean looked between the older couple, “You sure they didn’t stop for gas or something?”

The older man, Harley, showed the picture to his wife Stacy before they both shook their heads, “Nope, don’t remember ‘em. You said they were friends of yours?”

Angel nodded as a younger girl their age, Emily, came downstairs carrying some boxes, “Yeah, that's right.”

Emily looked over, “Did the guy have a tattoo?”

Dean nodded, “He did.”

Emily put the boxes on the counter before coming over to them and looking at the picture of Vince, “You remember?” She looked to Harley, “They were just married.”

“You're right…” Harley nodded as if recognition just came to him, “They did stop for gas. Weren’t here more than ten minutes.”

“Okay…” Angel pierced his eyes, “You remember anything else?”

“I told ‘em how to get back to the Interstate.” He shrugged, “They left town.”

“Mind pointing us in the same direction?”

“Sure.”

Following their directions, Dean drove through a back road next to an orchard.

Angel looked around at the trees tensely, “Is it just me or is everyone in town giving you _Children of the Corn_ vibes?”

Dean agreed, “They might all be in on the disappearances or at least know who is.” When a buzzing sound came from the backseat his brows furrowed, “What the hell?”

Angel turned and shuffled through his duffle bag to find the EMF reader beeping frantically.

She took it out and motioned, “Pull over, pull over.” 

They shared a look before quickly getting out of the car and walking through the orchard. Fairly quickly they came across a big creepy looking scarecrow hanging on a post. They walked closer to it for a better look.

“Jeeze.” Angel grimaced, “That thing is…”

“Fugly?” Dean finished before turning back to the thing, “Dude, fugly isn't even the right word.”

The scarecrow didn't move an inch as they watched it. Dean noticed a sickle in the scarecrow's hand as well as a design on its arm.

“Crap…” 

Dean took a ladder from a nearby tree and climed to the top so that he was eye level with the scarecrow. He moved the shirt it was wearing to show Angel the design it had on its _‘skin’_. 

Dean looked down at his sister, “Recognize that?”

She pulled out Vinces flyer and compared the tattoo to his, “Nice ink, freakshow… Guess we know what happened to our old friends.”

**_Burkittsville gas station…_ **

Dean pulled up in the impala to the gas station where Emily was standing by the pumps. She smiled between them as they both got out of the car.

“You’re back.”

Angel looked her over, “We never left.”

“Still looking for your friends?”

“We are.”

Dean walked over to their side and noticed Emily's nameplate necklace, “You mind fillin’ her up there, _Emily_?” Emily grabbed the pump and started filling the impalas tank, “So… you grew up here?”

“I came here when I was thirteen.” She explained, “I lost my parents- _car accident_. My aunt and uncle took me in.”

Angel nodded, “They seem like nice people.”

“ _Everybody’s_ nice here.”

Dean smirked, “So, what, it’s the, uh, _perfect little town_?”

“Well, you know, it’s the boonies.” She shrugged, “But I love it. I mean, the towns around us, people are losing their homes, their farms… But _here_ , it’s almost like we’re blessed.”

Dean nodded as he watched her closely.

“Have you been out to the orchard by chance?” Angel asked, getting to business, “Maybe you've seen that creepy scarecrow posted up?”

She frowned, “Yeah, it creeps me out.”

Dean laughed, nodding in agreement, “Whose is it?”

“I don’t know… It’s just always been there.”

Dean motioned his head to a large red suburban van parked by the garage with its hood up, “That your aunt and uncle’s?”

“Customer.” She scorrected, “Had some car troubles.”

“That's too bad…” Angel frowned, “It’s not a couple, is it? A guy and a girl?”

Emily nodded as if nothing was wrong, “Mmhmm.”

Dean and Angel both shared a concerned look with each other.

**_Scotty's Cafe…_ **

Scotty served the couple whose car broke down two plates of apple pie with a smile, “We’re famous for our apples. So, you _gotta_ try _this pie_.”

The woman quickly shook her head, “Oh, no. It- please.”

Scotty quickly dismissed her with a smile as Dean and Angel entered, “It’s on the house.”

Angel smiled brightly once he turned to greet them, “Hey, Scotty. Can we get two black coffees please?”

He smiled back, “Comin’ right up.”

As he walked away to get it Dean added, “Oh, and some of that pie, too, while you’re at it.” He and Angel pointedly sat at a table next to the couple, “How ya doin’?”

The couple eaves at them with smiles that Angel returned, “You guys just passing through?”

“Road trip.”

“Wow, small world.” Dean and Angel looked at one another before looking back at them, “My sister and I are on one of those too.”

Scotty resurfaced to refill the couples cider, sending a look to Dean and Angel, “I’m sure these people want to eat in peace.”

“Oh, we’re not trying to be a bother.” Angel turned her charming eyes to the couple, “We just like to make friends on the road when we go on our family trips.”

“It's fine.” The woman dismissed Scotty's worry, “It's always fun meeting new people.”

“Just a little friendly conversation.” Dean called as Scotty walked away, “Oh, and that coffee, too, man. Thanks.” Dean turns back to the couple, ignoring Scotty's agitated look, “So, what brings you to town?”

“We just stopped for gas.” The woman explained, “And, uh, the guy at the gas station saved our lives.”

“Is that right?”

“Yeah, one of our brake lines was leaking.” The man nodded, “We had no idea. He's fixing it for us.”

Concern etched both Angel and Dean's faces, “Nice people.”

“Yeah.”

“So, how long till you’re up and runnin’?”

“Sundown.”

“To fix a brake line? Thats crazy.” Angel looked them over, “My brother and I know a thing or two about cars. We could probably have you up and running in about an hour. _At the most_.”

“Free of charge.”

The girl looked between them, “Uh, you know, thanks a lot, but I think we’d rather have a mechanic do it.”

“Oh, I mean if it makes you feel better, he and I run a family shop back home.” At her blank stare Angel shrugged, “ _Understood_.”

Dean looked between them before leaning in, “You know, it’s just that these roads… _They’re not real safe at night_.”

The couple exchanged a look with each other as Angel glared at her brother.

The woman eyed Dean, “ _I’m sorry_?”

“Sounds strange, I know but uh…” Dean motioned between them with a shrug, “You might be in danger.”

Angel kicked him from under the table as the man became annoyed, “Look, we’re trying to eat. Okay?”

“Yeah…” Disappointment crossed Dean's face as worry crossed the couples, Dean's voice dropped as he turned to his sister, “You know, Sam could give them this puppy dog look, and they'd just _buy right into it_.”

“Gee, it's probably because Sam doesn't come off like such an _abductor_ when talking to people.” Angel glared at him then stiffened when someone walked into the diner, “Heads up; _5-0_.”

Scotty came out from the back room, “Thanks for coming, Sheriff.” 

Both Winchesters watched them nervously as Scotty whispered something in the Sheriff's ear. When they both looked over Dean quickly looked away but Angel rolled her eyes at them. As the Sheriff walked over, Angel leaned back in her seat and crossed her arms.

“I’d like a _word_ , please.”

“Yeah, _no_ .” Angel shook her head, trying and failing to ignore the irritation and frustration that was building up, as she held the cops glare, “We haven't done anything wrong so we don't really _need_ to entertain you, babe.”

“Listen here sweetheart-”

“ _Look_ , pudgy…” Angel glared even harder as she leaned forward towards him, “We’re already having a bad day so why don't you go look for someone to pass out a speeding ticket too.”

The Sheriff leaned down to their table meeting her glare, “You know what would make it _worse_?”

The Winchesters both looked at one another before grumbling and getting up to follow him out. Soon they were on the interstate, the sheriffs following them to make sure they left town. His sirens and lights were on and everything.

“I can't believe that hick seriously chased us out of town!” Angel scoffed as she watched the cop turn around and head back, “What a _jackass_.”

Dean shook his head and turned the car around, “ _New plan_.”

**_In the orchard…_ **

The couple from earlier are walking through the orchard after their car mysteriously broke down.

“I can’t believe it.” The girl shook her head, “We just got the car fixed.”

The man put a comforting hand on her back, “This way.”

They walked towards a clearing just as the Scarecrow whips past them from behind. The girl gasped and whipped them around.

Fear clouded her eyes as the two of them heard more and more noises, “Steve?”

The man, Steve, looked around as he shuffled her behind him, “Who’s there?”

They looked around and saw the Scarecrow coming out from behind the trees headed straight towards them. At the sight the turn and sprint as fast as they could away from it. They almost made it to the clearing when Dean and Angel ran in front of them, weapons in hand.

Dean motioned hurriedly, “Get back to your car.” The couple looked behind them and saw the Scarecrow getting closer, “Go! Go!”

As they bolted, the two Winchesters cocked both of their shotguns and shot at the thing. It stumbled for a second but kept walking towards them.

“Okay… Plan C.” Angel grabbed her brother's arm and took off, “ _Run_!”

As they both took off they both periodically turned and fired at the thing. Again, it kept chasing after them, seemingly unphased. Dean tried one more time, but the scarecrow kept moving. 

“Jesus!” Angel huffed, “What is this thing on? Scarecrow Angel Dust?” 

Finally, the Winchesters and the couple reached the end of the clearing. Angel and Dean each cocked their shotguns again and looked around expectantly but the Scarecrow had disappeared.

“You see it?” Angel whirled around, “Where'd it go?”

“I dont know.” Dean shook his head, “It's just _gone_.”

Steve panted, “What- what the _hell_ was that?”

Angel huffed as she put her gun down, “What we were trying to warn you about earlier.”

**_Later on in the Impala…_ **

Dean drove as Angel had Sam on speakerphone and explained everything that's happened since they got into town.

_“The scarecrow climbed off its cross?”_

“ _Oh yeah_ , Sammy.” Angel scoffed, “I'm telling you, this thing was _fast._ This is definitely not your average _Po-Dunk_ spot.”

“Yeah.” Dean chuckled, “ _Burkittsville, Indiana. Fun Town_.”

_“It didn’t kill the couple, did it?”_

“No.” Dean answered, a little humor in his voice, “We _can_ cope without you, you know.”

“Right.” Angel snickered, “Which is why we had to play _Captain Save-The-Scarecrow-Meat_ with those people.”

Dean burled up, “What does _that_ mean?”

“Please!” She deadpanned at him before dropping her voice, “‘ _These road’s aren't safe at night. You might be in danger_.’” She shook her head, “Dean, you came off creepier than the weirdo townspeople!”

“Oh, come on. _You're_ the one that got us kicked out of town.”

“Am not!”

“You were snarky as hell with that cop.” When she rolled her eyes he raised his brows, “You called him _pudgy_!”

“Okay, well I'm just tired of these local cop assholes making our jobs harder. I mean all they do is sling their dicks around and arrest for dumb shit we didn't even do.” She shook her head, “ _It's annoying_.”

“Guys, focus.” Sam reigned them in from speaker phone, a little laughter in his tone, “What do you guys think is animating it? A spirit maybe?”

“No, it’s more than a spirit. It’s a _god_ .” Dean said, “A _Pagan_ god, anyway.”

_“What makes you say that?”_

“The annual cycle of its killings.” Angel explained, “ _And_ the fact that the victims are always a man and a woman. Like some sort of fertility sacrifice or something.”

“And you should see the locals.” Dean added, “The way they treated this couple. _Fattenin’ ‘em up like a Christmas turkey_.”

_“The last meal…” Sam mused, “Given to sacrificial victims.”_

“Yeah.” Dean nodded, “We’re thinking a ritual sacrifice to appease some Pagan god.”

_“So, a god possesses the scarecrow…”_

“Then the scarecrow takes its sacrifice.”

“ _And_ for another year, the crops won’t wilt, and disease won’t spread.”

_“Do you know which god you’re dealing with?”_

“No, not yet.”

_“Well, you figure out what it is, you can figure out a way to kill it.”_

“We know. Dean’s driving to the local community college. We’ve got an appointment with a professor.”

Dean smirked, “You know, since we don’t have our _trusty sidekick geek boy_ to do all the research.”

_Sam laughed, “You know, if you’re hinting that you guys need my help, just ask.”_

“I’m not _hinting_ anything. Actually, uh- I want you to know… I mean, don’t think…”

“We’re sorry, Sammy.” Angel interjected at Deans fumbling, “Both of us are.”

_“Yeah… I’m sorry, too. For everything I said to both of you.”_

“No, Sam.” Dean argued, “You were right. You gotta do your own thing. You gotta live your own life. Even if we don't agree.”

_A little shock filled his voice, “Are you serious?”_

“Sam… Ever since you were a kid you've known what you wanted and you've _always_ went after it.” Angel smiled, “I’ve always admired that about you, Sammy.”

“You stand up to Dad, for everything you believe in and wanna do. You always have. Hell, I wish I…” He trailed off before clearing his throat, “Anyway… I admire that about you. I’m proud of you, Sammy.”

“We both are, little b.”

_“I don’t even know what to say…”_

“Just say…” Sadness filled Angel but she knew he had to do what was best for himself, “Say you’ll take care of yourself.”

_“I will.”_

“Good.” Dean nodded, “Call us when you find Dad.”

_Sadness crept into Sam's voice, “Ok… bye, guys.”_

Angel looked over to Dean who was frowning and responded, “Goodbye, Sammy.”

**SECTION THREE**

**_Local Community College…_ **

The professor led the Winchesters down a flight of stairs as he looked at them excitedly, “It’s not every day I get a research question on Pagan ideology.”

Dean chuckled, “Yeah, well, call it a hobby.”

“But you said you were interested in _local_ lore?”

Angel nodded, “Yeah, that's right.”

“I’m afraid _Indiana_ isn’t really known for its _Pagan worship_.”

“Well, what if it was _imported_?” Dean asked, “You know, like the Pilgrims brought their religion over. Wasn’t a lot of this area settled by immigrants?”

“Well, yeah.”

“What about that small town a few miles from here?” Angel looked to him, “ _Burkittsville_. Where are their ancestors from?”

“Uh, northern Europe…” He thought for a second, “I believe, _Scandinavia_.”

She raised a brow, “Any Pagan gods in Scandinavia?”

“Well, there are _hundreds_ of _Norse_ gods and goddesses.”

“We just need one.” Angel studied him, “One that might live in an orchard.”

**_College Classroom…_ **

The professor put a large book down on his table and opened it, “ _Woods_ god, hm? Well, let’s see…” 

As he leafed through some pages, Dean noticed a picture of a scarecrow on a post surrounded by farmers in a field, “Wait, wait. What’s that one?”

“Oh, that’s not a woods god, _per se_.”

Angel cocked her head and read from the passage, “‘ _The Vanir were Norse gods of protection and prosperity, keeping the local settlements safe from harm. Some villages built effigies of the Vanir in their fields. Other villages practiced human sacrifice. One male, and one female_.’” She pointed to the scarecrow as she sent an eye to Dean, “Kind of looks like a scarecrow, huh?”

Dean nodded as the professor looked between them, “I suppose.”

She continued reading, “‘ _This particular Vanir that’s energy sprung from the sacred tree?_ ’”

The professor explained, “Pagans believed all sorts of things were infused with magic.”

“So what would happen if the sacred tree was torched?” Dean mused, “You think it’d kill the god?”

He laughed, “Son, these are just legends we’re discussing.” His eyes traveled between them, “You two understand that.”

“Oh, of course. Yeah, you’re right.” Dean quickly shook the professors hand, “Listen, thank you very much.”

He nodded, “Glad I could help.”

As soon as Dean opened the door, the sheriff hit him in the face with the head of his rifle. Dean fell to the ground unconscious, shocking Angel as the professor grabbed her from behind.

“Get the hell off of me!” She thrashed around in his arms before breaking free, whirling around and punching him directly in the face sending him to the floor, “Asshole!”

The sheriff let a shot off in the air causing her to whip around, “You, little lady, have been a big pain in my ass.”

Like he did with Dean, the Sheriff reared the head of his rifle back and knocked her out with it. As the professor got up holding his bloodied nose the two of them exchanged a knowing look.

**_Streets of Burkittsville…_ **

Stacy, Harley, Scotty and the Sheriff all stood in the rain upset as they discussed what to do next.

“You don’t understand, Harley.” Scotty pressed, “All of us here- _It’s our responsibility to protect the town_.”

“I understand.” Harley looked around, “ _Better than all of you_ . _I’m_ the one that gives ‘em directions. _I’m the one that sends ‘em down to the orchard_.”

The Sheriff looked pained, “Harley, _please_.”

“We all close our doors. _Look the other way and pretend we can’t hear the screams_ . But _this_ is different, this- _this is murder_.”

“It’s angry with us.” Stacy pleaded, “Already the trees are beginning to die. Tonight’s the seventh night of the cycle. _Our last chance, a sacrifice has to be made_.”

“If the boy and girl we got have to die, _they have to die._ ” He shook his head in grief, “But why do we have to involve _her_?”

The group of them said nothing. Instead they all stared at the ground in disappointment before Stacy put a hand on his arm.

“The two that we’ve got… they're _brother sister_ . It won't work for the ritual. He needs Emily too, _she's all we've got left_.”

**_In a cellar…_ **

Dean and Angel sat in a dark cellar by themselves when suddenly the door was opened. Emily stood there crying as she was held by her aunt and uncle.

“Aunt Stacy. Uncle Harley, _please_.” They brought her down the stairs next to the Winchesters before heading back upstairs, “Why are you doing this?”

  
Stacy turned to her before shutting them in the dark, “ _For the common good_.”

**SECTION FOUR**

Dean and Angel both tried to pool their strength and open the cellar door but failed.

“I don’t understand.” Emily shook her head, “They’re gonna _kill_ us?”

“ _Sacrifice_ us.” Dean corrected with a shrug, “Which is, I don’t know, _classier_ , I guess?”

“You know what would be even classier than that? Not dying.” Angel wiped the blood from her forehead as she and Dean walked back over to Emily, “ _So_ , you really didn't know what kind of operation Auntie and Uncle were running here?”

“You mean _the scarecrow god_?” She scoffed, “I can’t believe this.”

“Okay, listen babe. You gotta start believing and _fast_ .” Angel pressed getting straight to business, “Dean and I don't have any time to coddle you through this if we all wanna live alright? We’re gonna need to help each other here, _understand_?”

She nodded slowly, “Okay…”

“Good. Now look, we can destroy the scarecrow but we need to find the tree that its getting its power from to do so.”

“What tree?”

“Its old, like ancient old. Might be some kind of historical monument or some shit.” Angel described quickly, “Uh, crazys that just abducted us would treat it with a lot of respect, you know, _like it was sacred_.”

“There was this one apple tree.” Emily offered, “The immigrants brought it over with them. They call it the _First Tree_.”

Dean asked, “Is it in the orchard?”

“Yeah, but I don’t know where.”

The cellar door opened just then to reveal the town elders: _Stacy, Harley, Scotty and the Sheriff,_ staring down at them.

Stacy nodded, “It’s time.”

At that, the three of them shared a nervous look.

**_In the orchard…_ **

The elders quickly and tightly secured Angel, Dean and Emily to three adjacent trees. The Sheriff worked on Dean as Scotty tightened Angel's hands above her head.

“I gotta say, Scotty…” Angel winked in sarcasm, “I didn't have you pegged for an _S &M kink _ kinda guy. Came off as a little _vanilla_ when we first met.” He rolled his eyes and walked away from her, ignoring her comments, “Awe, come on baby, _don't be like that_.”

“How many people have you killed, Sheriff?” Dean grimaced as he tightened the ropes, “How much blood is on your hands?”

“ _We_ don’t kill them.”

“ _No_ , but you sure cover up after. I mean, how many _cars_ have you hidden, _clothes_ have you buried?”

Like Scotty, the Sheriff walked away, opting to ignore him completely.

Angel looked over to her brother, “Tough crowd, D.”

Emily cried from the other side of Angel, “Uncle Harley, _please_.”

“I am so sorry, Em.” His eyes saddened, “I wish it wasn’t you.”

“Why is she even here in the first place?” Angel yelled over, “The deals _one chick and one dude_ , right? _You got that_ , so let _her_ go.”

“These two share the same blood, sweetheart. _We need you_ .” Stacy smoothed Emily's hair down, “Try to understand. It’s _our_ responsibility, and there’s just no other choice. _There’s nobody else but you_.”

“ _I’m_ your family.”

“Sweetheart, that’s what sacrifice _means_ . Giving up something you love for the greater good. The town needs to be safe. _The good of the many outweighs the good of the one_.”

As the four elders walked away, Angel scoffed, “ _Geeze_ , somebody _seriously_ spilled some crazy into the water system here.”

Dean glared at their backs, “ _I hope your apple pie is freakin’ worth it_!”

Emily leaned over and looked between Angel and Dean, “So, what’s the plan?”

The Winchester looked at one another before Dean answered, “We’re workin’ on it.”

**_Hours later…_ **

“You guys don’t have a plan, do you?”

Slight panic laced Dean's voice, “Still workin’ on it…”

Angel craned her neck but couldn't make anything out, “Emily, can you see?”

“What?”

“The _scarecrow_.” She explained, “Is he moving yet?”

Emily tried craning her neck but also couldn't make anything out, “I can’t see…” A shadow moved near the trees, the noise catching all of their attention, “ _Oh my God_.” As it moved closer, Angel and Dean frantically tried to undo their ropes, “Oh my God!”

Instead of the scarecrow, Sam popped out from behind the trees, “Angel? Dean?”

“ _Holy shit_.” Angel sagged in relief, “Sam! I've never been so happy to see you, little brother.”

Dean was also overjoyed, “Oh, I take everything back I said. _I’m so happy to see you_. Come on.” Sam began untying him from the tree, “How’d you get here?”

“I, uh-” He shrugged, “ _I stole a car_.”

“Haha!” Dean laughed giddily, “That’s my boy!”

“Sam, watch out for the scarecrow.” Angel warned, “He could come alive any minute.”

Sam finished untying Dean, looked around for a second and then went to untie Angel, “What scarecrow?”

Dean got up and saw the scarecrow’s post was empty. The three of them each exchange nervous looks as Sam hurriedly unties their sister.

**SECTION FIVE**

After untying the girls, the four of them all ran through the orchard hurriedly.

“Alright.” Sam looked over, “Now, this sacred tree you’re talking about-”

Angel interjected, “It’s the source of the scarecrows power.”

“So let’s find it and burn it.”

“Nah, in the morning.” Dean said, “Let’s just shag ass before Leather Face catches up.” 

The four of them reached a clearing where the elders stood waiting, guns and weapons at the ready, with a few other townspeople. They turned around but they were blocked in all directions. The scarecrows growling could be heard by all of them.

“ _Please_ .” Emily begged, “ _Let us go_.”

Harley shook his head, “It’ll be over quickly, I promise.”

“ _Please_.”

“Emily, you have to let him take you. You have to-”

All of a sudden, the scarecrow stuck his sickle through Harley's stomach with a sickening squelch. Emily and Stacy both screamed before Stacy was captured by the scarecrow, too. Emily ran into Dean’s arms while her aunt and uncle were dragged away by the scarecrow. The rest of the townspeople scurried away in fright.

“Go, go.” Dean urged, “Come on, let’s go.”

The four of them started running through the orchard again. Upon hearing a noise close by, they turned around but the scarecrow and its victims had disappeared. The three of them stop fleeing and look around.

**_The next morning…_ **

Angel, Sam, Dean and Emily walked to the sacred tree with gasoline and a lighter. The tree they were looking for was marked with Wince’s tattoo design. Sam and Angel walked to the tree and poured gasoline on it as Dean picked up a long branch and lit it with his lighter.

Emily took the branch from Dean, “Let me.”

Dean studied her, “You know, the whole town’s gonna die.”

She threw the burning branch onto the tree, watching as it went up in flames, “ _Good_.”

**_At the bus stop…_ **

As Emily got on the bus, she smiled at Angel and Dean who both waved goodbye to her. She waved back before turning and taking a seat. The three Winchesters watched the bus leave.

Sam turned to his siblings, “Think she’s gonna be alright?”

“Oh, yeah.” Angel grinned, “After everything she’s been through? _She's tough_. She’ll be fine.”

“And the rest of the townspeople, they’ll just get away with it?”

“Well, what’ll happen to the town will have to be punishment enough.” Dean conceded as they walked back to the impala, he turned a curious eye to Sam, “ _So_ , can we drop you off somewhere?”

“No.” He smirked, “I think you two are stuck with me.”

Angel studied him as they stopped at the car, “What made you change your mind?”

“I didn’t. I still wanna find Dad. And you two are still a pain in the ass-”

Angel smirked, “Ditto for us, little b.”

Sam smiled at her a little before it was wiped away as he looked down, “ _Jess and Mom-_ they’re both gone. _Dad_ is God knows where. _The three of us_ ? We’re all that’s left. _So_ , if we’re gonna see this through, _we’re gonna do it together_.”

Dean and Angel both paused as they shared a smirk, the latter speaking first, “Aw, Sam… that came straight out of Hallmark card didn't it?”

Sam rolled his eyes as Dean grinned, “Don't listen to her, Sammy. _That was beautiful_ .” He feigned tears as he put his hand on Sam's shoulder, “ _Hold me_.”

Sam swatted his hand away and they all shared a laugh, “ _You know_ , both of you should be kissing my ass. You guys were dead meat.”

“Yeah, right.” Dean scoffed, “ _I had a plan_ , I’d have gotten out.”

“ _Lies_.” Angel shook her head, “We were totally gonna be Scarecrow chow.”

They all shared a smile before getting in the car and driving away.


	7. Faith

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While battling a demon, Dean is electrocuted, resulting in permanent damage to his heart and leaving him with only a couple of months to live. A despondent Angel and Sam search desperately for a way to save their brother and believe they may have found an answer through a preacher who claims to heal the incurable. However, Angel, Dean and Sam discover that the preacher is getting help from a Reaper who is trading one life for another Dean feels is less worthy.

**DISCLAIMER:** I only own my character! Anything you might recognize is courtesy of the CW.

  
**WARNING:** Some of these episodes/chapters may contain graphic violence, cursing, mentions of suicide or assault and other triggering aspects. Proceed with caution please.

**_At an abandoned house…_ **

After Dean pulled the impala up to the run down shack of a house, the Winchesters got out and moved to the trunk. Dean opened it and the three of them started readying themselves with weapons. Dean quickly removed two very big taser guns.

Sam took his after Angel, “What did you guys amp those up to?”

Angel smirked, “A hundred thousand volts.”

“ _Damn_.”

“This thing abducts and kills kids.” She grabbed her gun and flashlight as well, “I want it _dead-dead_.”

“Fried extra frickin' crispy.” Dean agreed, “And remember, you only get one shot with these things. _So make it count_.”

The three of them quietly and carefully moved down the basement stairs after not finding anything in the rest of the house. Their taser guns were drawn as they swept their flashlights over the darkened area. Hearing a noise in the cupboard the three of them move towards it carefully.

“On three.” Dean whispered, “ _One. Two. Three_.”

Dean swung open the door to reveal a young boy and girl crouched and cowering inside, covering their ears.

Sam whispered to them hurriedly, “Is it still here?”

They nod hurriedly and Angel hopped into motion as she knelt to them, “Okay, you guys are gonna be fine.” She quickly picked up the scared girl as she took the boys hand, “We gotta get you out of here. _Let's go, let's go_.”

Angel started to take the kids upstairs as her brothers guarded her back when a hand snaked out from between the stairs, grabbed her ankle and twisted it. The kids screamed and she grunted when the thing pulled her down but she managed to get the girl far enough up on the stairs to where she could scurry up them with her brother.

Sam and Dean called for her worriedly, “Angel!”

Dean quickly moved behind the staircase and fired the taser gun, but missed.

“Sam!” Dean turned as Angel got up with a limp, “Help her get 'em outta here!”

Sam tossed his taser to Dean, “Here take this!”

Sam ran up the stairs with Angel and quickly moved the children outside. Dean moved around the basement on high alert as he shined his torch into the dark corners of the basement.

“Come on!”

A ragged, hairy creature leapt up and shoved Dean backwards. When he falls, his weapons and flashlight scatter away from him. He glanced around, scrambled across multiple puddles of water to grab the taser and released it toward the creature as it moved toward him, electrocuting him. Electricity moved from the creature through the water lying on the ground to straight to Dean. They both shook and twitched violently before the creature fell to its death and Dean lost consciousness.

Sam and Angel ran down the stairs just then to see Dean in the corner, not moving.

“Dean!”

They ran over to him, Sam half lifting him to move his face, “Dean, hey. _Hey_.”

“Help me move him out of the water, Sammy.” Angel instructed hurriedly, once they did she checked for a pulse or breathing and tried to keep calm when she felt nothing, “He’s not breathing. Call an ambulance.” Hurriedly she began CPR before looking up to see Sam's pale face staring at Dean in shock, “ _Sam_ !” Her yell made him jump before his eyes met hers, “Call an ambulance, _now_!”

**_At the hospital…_ **

Angel stood numbly at the nurses station as one of the girls looked up to her sadly, “Ma’am, I'm so sorry to ask, but there doesn't seem to be any insurance on file.”

She stared at the woman not processing anything she was saying, “Sorry?”

“ _Insurance…_ do you have a card or maybe you know the information-”

“Ri- right. Uh, okay…” She cleared her throat of emotion as she shuffled through her pockets for her wallet, finding it quickly and handing the insurance card over, “Sorry.”

“It’s okay.” She took the card, glancing at it, “Thank you, Miss. Burkovitz.”

Angel saw Dean's doctor walking towards them and looked over to where Sam was talking to the cops, “ _Sam_.” She and Sam hurry towards the man, “Is he-”

“He's resting.”

Sam noted the despondent look in his eye, “ _And_?”

“The electrocution triggered a heart attack. Pretty massive, I'm afraid. His heart… it's damaged.”

“ _Damaged_ ?” Angel shook her head, not understanding, “Damaged like _lay off the grease_ or damaged like… _transplant or death_?”

His expression softened, “We've done all we can. We can try and keep him comfortable at this point, but… I'd give him a couple weeks, at most, _maybe_ a month.”

Angel reeled from hearing that, having to grab onto Sam for support, “ _A month_?”

Pain and grief crossed Sam's face as he shook his head, “No, no. There's- there's… gotta be _something_ you can do, _some kind of treatment_.”

He shook his head sadly, “We can't work miracles. I really am sorry.”

“ _Miracles_?” Angel barked back angrily, Sam having to hold her when she tried to get into the doctor's space, “No ones asking you to work miracles! All we want you to do is your job! There- there has to be something that you missed. Some far out medical trial or something.”

“I’m sorry but-”

“You’re _sorry_ ? I don't want an apology from you!” She bit back, “Youre saying we’re just supposed to watch our brother _die_!” 

“Angie, calm down.” Sam held her close to him, bringing her into a tight hug as she cried, “It's okay… we’ll- we’ll figure something out.”

**_In Dean’s hospital room…_ **

As Sam and Angel walk into his room, they both have to steel themselves at the sight of him flipping through the channels on his tv. His skin was sickly pale and dark circles lined his under eyes. He doesnt look at them as they walked in. Just continued flipping through channels. When he spoke, his voice was low and very weak. Angel had to hide a grimace at the sound.

“Either of you ever actually _watched_ daytime TV? _It's terrible_.”

Sam stood by the foot of his bed as Angel collected herself and walked to his side. 

She exhaled sharply as she studied him, “D… we talked to your doctor.”

He ignored her, still focused on the tv, “That fabric softener teddy bear. _Oh,_ _I'm gonna hunt that little bitch down_.”

Sam stared at him, “ _Dean_.”

He finally looked up at them, quickly looking away at the pain he saw and turning the tv off.

“Yeah.” His voice was resigned, “Alright, well, looks like you two are gonna leave town without me.”

“What the hell are you talking about?” Angel scowled, “We’re not leaving you here, Dean.”

Dean turned a serious look to Sam, “Hey, since she’s already got the Trans Am, _you_ better take care of that car. Or, I swear, _I'll haunt your ass_.”

Sam deadpanned, “I don't think that's funny.”

“Oh, come on.” He smirked with a tiny shrug, “It's a little funny.”

A long silence stretched between them as Angel and Sam both fought back tears.

Dean sighed, “Look… What can I say? I mean, it's a dangerous gig, you two know that. _I drew the short straw_ . That's it, _end of story_.”

“Dean.” Angel snapped as she shook her head and wiped a hand over her face, “Dont say shit like that.”

“We still have options.” Sam pressed, “We still do.”

“What options?” He challenged, “ _Burial or cremation_?”

Angel turned away from them and headed out the door when tears started falling, “I just- i need some air. I'll be back.”

The boys watched her hurry out sadly before Dean continued, breaking another tense silence, “Look, I know it's not easy. I do know that, but you guys have each other to help you through it. I'm gonna die, Sam. And you guys can't stop it.”

Conviction filled Sam, “ _Watch me_.”

Outside the hospital, Angel walked to a secluded corner of the hospital and pulled out her phone. The line rang multiple times before the voicemail picked up.

_“This is John Winchester. If this is an emergency, call my daughter Angel at 866-907-3006 or my son Dean at 866-907-3235. One of them can help.”_

“Dad… it's Angie.” She fought back tears as she tried and failed to keep the emotion from her voice, “Uh, I hope you're checking up on your voicemail or… Uh, look, its- its about _Dean_ . He’s- well, he’s sick and the doctors are saying they can't do anything to fix him. Um… I mean, they don't know about all the things we know about, right? So- so that's… _something…_ Listen, Sam and I are gonna find and do whatever it takes to save him so don't worry. I just- wanted you to know what was going on.” 

After hanging up, she put her phone in her back pocket and wiped her face. Heading inside she ran into Sam.

“Where are you going?”

“The hotel.” He explained, letting her walk him to the impala, “Im gonna look into some lore and see if we can't find anything to help him.”

“Okay, okay good.” She nodded with conviction, “I'll stay here and keep an eye on him but I'll call around. Maybe another hunter has heard of something.”

Sam nodded, squeezing her hand before getting in the car, “We’re gonna save him.”

  
  


**_A few days later…_ **

In the Winchesters hotel room, pages and pages or lore and research about heart care filled the bed and tables around Sam. He had all three of their laptops open as he clicked around different sites on each of them, searching. A knock at the door distracted him. Getting up he opened it to find Dean, looking terrible, as he leaned up against a very irritated and tired Angel.

Surprise, happiness and confusion all crossed Sam's face, “What the hell are you doing here?”

Angel huffed in irritation, “When i went to leave this idiot checked himself out.”

“What, are you crazy?”

Dean shrugged, “Well, I'm not gonna die in a hospital where the nurses aren't even hot.”

Sam huffed a laugh and shut the door behind them as Angel carefully led him into the room to sit.

“You know, this whole _I-laugh-in-the-face-of-death_ thing? It's crap. _I can see right through it._ ”

“We both can.”

“Yeah, whatever.” Dean looked between them as they both helped him into a chair, “Have either of you even slept? You guys look worse than me.”

“I've been scouring the Internet for the last three days.”

Angel pulled up one of the chairs beside Dean, “And when i haven't been _totally whooping your ass at cards_ , i've been calling _my_ contacts _and_ all the ones Dads got in his journal.”

“For what?”

“ _For a way to help you_.” Angel raised a brow, “Asa actually just got back with me this morning. Told me about a guy in Nebraska.” She shared a look with Sam who she already told, “A specialist.”

Dean looked between them, “ _A specialist_?”

“Oh, yeah.” She smirked, “So we better go find you a snazzy little cane to walk around with.”

“You two arent gonna let me die in peace, are you?”

“We’re not gonna let you die, _period_.” Sam smiled, “We're going.”

**_In Nebraska…_ **

The Impala bumped along a rutted gravel road toward a large white circus tent set up in a field. People made their way toward the tent across the very muddy ground, many on walking frames or helped by others. Sam and Angel both get out of the Impala and hurry to help Dean out. He had thrown his door open and looked around with a scowl, grumbling when his eyes met the sign next to the tent that read ‘ _The Church of Roy LeGrange. Faith Healer. Witness The Miracle._ ’

Dean grimaced and started pulling himself out of the car, angrily swatting Angel and Sams help away, “I got it.” He glared down at Angel when she went to his side and helped him anyway, “Man, you are a _liar_ . Thought you said we were going to see a _doctor_?”

“Uh, _no_ .” Angel shook her head, “I believe the word i used was: _specialist_.”

“Look, Dean, this guy's supposed to be the real deal.” Sam commented, “Lets just give this a chance.”

He scoffed, “I can't believe you two brought me here to see some guy who heals people out of a tent!”

An elderly woman with an umbrella passed by, “Reverend LeGrange is a _great_ man.”

Dean grumbled, “Yeah, _that's nice_.”

They walked past an angry man remonstrating with a cop, “I have a right to protest! This man is a fraud! _And he's milking all these people out of their hard-earned money_!”

“Sir, this is a place of worship.” The Sheriff shooed him, “Let's go. Move it.”

“I take it _he's_ not part of the _flock_.”

Angel raised a brow, “Okay, you of all people should know that when people see something they can't explain, _there's controversy.”_

“But a faith healer? _Come on_.”

“Dean, a little faith never hurt anyone.” Angel shook her head, “Now stop-”

“You know what I've got faith in?” He trudged on, “ _Reality_ . Knowing what's _really_ going on.”

Sam eyed him, “How can _you_ be a skeptic? With the things we see everyday?”

“ _Exactly_ . We _see_ them, we _know_ they're real.”

“But if you know _evil's_ out there, how can you not believe _good's_ out there, too?”

“ _Because I've seen what evil does to good people_.”

“You can bitch and squawk all you want, little brother.” Angel dismissed him, “ _We’re staying_.”

A pretty young blond turned when she overheard their conversation, “Maybe God works in mysterious ways.”

Dean looked over to her, a smile spreading on his face as he checked her out, “Maybe he does. I think _you_ just turned me around on the subject.”

Angel and Sam chuckled at their brother as the woman smiled, “Yeah, _I'm sure_.”

Dean held out his hand, “I'm Dean. This is Angel and Sam.”

“ _Layla_.” She shook Dean's hand as the other two nodded hellos, “So, if you're not a believer, then why are you here?”

“Well, apparently my brother and sister here believe enough for the three of us.”

An older woman approached them and put her arm around Layla, “Come on, Layla. It's about to start.”

The two women smiled at the Winchesters before moving inside the tent.

Dean looked after Layla with appreciation, “ _Well_ , I bet you _she_ can work in some mysterious ways.”

“God.” Angel groaned as they entered the tent and passed the entrance sign that read ‘ _Welcome All Faiths. True Believers Revival_.’, “Even sick you're still a dog.”

**_Inside the tent…_ **

The tent was filled with people finding seats in front of a small stage at the front that had a lectern with candles on it.

Dean looked around and tilted his head to the corner, “Yeah, _peace, love, and trust_ all over.”

Angel and Sam followed his gaze over to a security camera in the corner. Dean tried to take a seat but Angel and Sam both put an arm around him and moved him toward the front.

“No.” Angel dragged him along with Sam, “We’re not sitting all the way back here.”

“Don't! What are you doing? Let's sit here.”

Angel shook her head, “We're sitting up front.”

“What? _Why_?”

“ _Because i said so_.” Angel dismissed as she helped move him up the aisle, “So, shut up.”

Dean growled, “Oh, come _on_ , Angel.”

Sam looked him over, “You alright?”

“This is ridiculous.” He slapped both of their hands away, “I'm good. Get off me.”

Sam let go but Angel gave him a death glare, “Can you just stop being a toddler for five minutes before I kick your ass?”

He glared back at her as Sam pointed to three empty seats behind Layla and her mother, “Perfect.”

Sarcasm dripped off Dean's words, “ _Yeah, perfect_.”

“Shut up, and sit down,” Angel demanded as she moved in after Sam, “You take the aisle.”

Angel tried to help Dean sit but he raised his hand irritably and did it himself. On stage a blind man wearing sunglasses, Roy Legrange, was helped to the lectern by a woman.

“Each morning, my wife, Sue Ann, reads me the news. Never seems good, does it?” The crowd agreed with him, “Seems like there's always someone committing some _immoral, unspeakable_ act.”

As he spoke, Angel and Sam each noticed a table onstage filled with religious items. An old wooden cross that is topped by a smaller cross in a circle catching their eye the most.

“But, I say to you, _God is watching_.” 

The crowd murmured their agreement, “Yes he is.”

“God rewards the good, and He punishes the corrupt.” The crowd nodded, cheered and murmured, “It is _the Lord_ who does the healing here friends. _The Lord_ who guides me in choosing who to heal by helping me see into people's hearts.”

As the crowd continued the murmuring, Dean leaned closer into his siblings, “Yeah, _and into their wallets_.”

Roy addressed him and the crowd went silent, “You think so, young man?”

Dean looked around and the eyes staring at him, “Sorry.”

“ _No, no_ . Don't be. Just watch what you say around a blind man, _we've got real sharp ears_.” The crowd laughed, “What's your name, son?”

Dean cleared his throat, hesitating a little, “Dean.”

“Dean.” Roy nodded to himself, “I want- I want you to come up here with me.”

The crowd clapped and Sue Ann moved to centre stage as she smiled at Dean.

He quickly shook his head, “ _No_ , it's ok.”

Angel whirled on him, “ _Excuse you_ ? Get your ass up Dean. _You're going_.”

“Yeah.” Sam agreed as he looked at him like he’d lost his mind, “What are you doing?!”

Roy addressed him again, “You've come here to be _healed_ , haven't cha?”

Dean hesitated again, “Well, yeah, but ah…” The crowd clapped and made encouraging noises, “...maybe you should just pick someone else.”

Angel and Sam both looked at Dean like he was insane as the crowd clapped loudly.

“Oh, no. _I_ didn't pick you, Dean, _the Lord did_.”

The crowd got even more excited, “That's right! Yeah! Come on!”

Sam motioned excitedly, “Get up there!”

Dean reluctantly raised and moved toward the stage. Sue Ann moved to assist him and stood him next to Roy.

“You ready?”

Dean frowned, “Look, no disrespect, but ah, I'm not exactly a _believer_.”

Roy smiled, “You will be, son. _You will be_.” He addressed the crowd, “Pray with me, friends.”

The crowd lifted their arms up and joined hands with each other. Roy lifted his hands to the air, then placed one first on Dean's shoulder and then on the side of his head.

“Alright now.” Roy said to himself, “Alright now.” Dean's eyes glazed over. His knees weakened and he sank to the floor, Roys hands still on his head, “Alright, now.”

Dean wobbled, his eyes fell back in his head and he slipped to the stage floor.

Angel and Sam both jumped from their chairs and ran to the stage as the crowd clapped excitedly, “Dean!”

Sam grabbed the front of Deans hoodie as Angel put a hand on his face and shook him a little, “Dean?”

His eyes burst open as he gasped for air.

Sam watched him with worry, “Say Something!”

Dean blinked groggily and looked up to where Roy stood above him, hands out from his sides, palms up, looking happy. Slightly behind Roy, a tall man in a black suit with white hair, very white extremely wrinkled skin came into focus. He stared at Dean before he turned away and vanished, leaving Dean to watch in shock.

**SECTION TWO**

**_In the hospital check up room…_ **

The three Winchesters all waited in an exam room for Deans doctor. Angel leaned on the wall with her arms crossed watching a very unhappy, frowning Dean as Sam paced at the other side of them.

He smiled to Dean, “So, you really feel okay?”

The unhappiness was ever present on Dean's face as he answered, “I feel fine, Sam.”

The Doctored walked in as she read some paperwork, “Well, according to all your tests there's nothing wrong with your heart. No sign there ever was.” Relief filled Angel as Sam grinned at her words, Dean still looked unhappy as she continued, “Not that a man your age should be having heart trouble, but uh… Still it's strange- it _does_ happen.”

“What do you mean, _strange_?”

“Well, just yesterday, a young guy like you, _twenty-seven, athletic_ . Out of nowhere, _heart attack_.”

“Thank you, Doctor.” Angel nodded as she came to stand beside Dean, “For all your help.”

She smiled before turning to leave, “No problem.”

Dean pursed his lips as he looked between the two of them, “That's _odd_.”

“Maybe it's a coincidence.” Sam dismissed, “People's hearts give out all the time, man.”

“ _No, they don't_.”

Angel pierced him with a dismissive eye, “Look Dean, have you ever heard the expression ‘ _Don't look a gift horse in the mouth’?_ ” 

“Why can't we just be thankful that the guy saved your life and move on?”

“Because I can't shake this feeling, _that's why_.”

Angel raised a brow as he got up and turned away from them to put his jacket back on, “And what feeling would that be?”

“When I was healed, I just… I felt _wrong_ . I felt _cold_ . And for a second… _I saw someone_ . This, uh, this old man. And I'm telling you guys, _it was a spirit_.”

Angel crossed her arms again as Sam shook his head, “But if there was something there, Dean, I think I would've seen it, too. I mean, _I've been seeing an awful lot of things lately_.”

“Well, _excuse me, psychic wonder_ . But you're just gonna need a little _faith_ on this one.” His face deadpanned as he looked between them, “I've been hunting long enough to trust a feeling like this.”

Angel sighed, “Okay, whatever, _fine_. What do you wanna do?”

“I want you two to go check out the heart attack guy.” He instructed, “I'm gonna visit the reverend.”

**_Swimming locker room…_ **

“I'm telling you, he seemed healthy.” The employee explained as he led the two of them into the vacant locker room, “ _Swam every day, didn't smoke_ . So, a heart attack just kind of seemed, well, _bizarre_.”

Sam nodded, “And you said he was running, right before he collapsed?”

“Yeah, he was freaking out. He said that something was, uh, was _after_ him.”

Angel raised a brow, “He say what that was?”

“Well, _thin air is what_. I mean, it wasn't anything.”

“Right…” She offered a smile, “Thanks for your time.”

“No problem.”

As they left, Sam noticed the clock on the wall isn't working, “Hey, buddy? Your, uh, your clock's busted.”

“Oh, yeah, we, uh, can't get it workin'.” He frowned, “Just froze at 4:17.”

“ _4:17_ …” Angel repeated grimly, avoiding her brother's eyes, “Is that the same time Marshall died?”

He looked at her in surprise, “Yeah… how'd you know?”

**_Back at the motel…_ **

Dean entered the room and threw his keys on the bed. As he took off his jacket he looked over to Sam and Angel who were sitting at the table/ Sam was on his laptop frowning and Angel met his eyes sadly.

“What'd you guys find out?”

Angel looked away from him, “Dean… I'm sorry.”

Dean threw his jacket on the bed and approached them, “Sorry about what?”

“Marshall Hall died at 4:17.”

Dean stood stunned at her words, “The exact time I was healed.”

“Yeah…” Sam explained sadly, “I put together a list of everyone Roy's healed, _six people over the past year_ , and I cross-checked them with the local obits. Every time someone was healed, _someone else died_. And each time, the victim died of the same symptom LeGrange was healing at the time.”

“So if someone is healed of cancer…” Angel explained, “Someone else _dies_ of cancer.”

“Somehow. LeGrange… he's trading a life for another.”

“ _Wait, wait, wait_ .” Dean stopped them, “So, Marshall Hall _died_ to _save me_?”

“Dean, the guy probably would've died anyway.” Sam tried to explain as he looked to his older brother upset, “And someone _else_ would've been healed.”

Dean's eyes pierced Angels, “You never should've brought me here.”

“Dean…” She watched him get up and start pacing, pleading for him to understand, “I didn't- i didn't know this is what was happening. We were running out time. You were-” She had to clear her throat, “I was just trying to save your life.”

“Some guy is _dead_ now because of me!”

“I didn't know!”

Dean's eyes softened as he looked between her and Sam's broken faces.

Sam broke the silence, “The thing I don't understand is _how_ is Roy doing it? How's he trading a life for a life?”

“Oh…” Dean shook his head, “ _He's_ not doing it.”

Angel watched him, “You think he’s got something else doing the dirty work?”

“The old man I saw on stage… I didn't wanna believe it, but deep down I knew.”

“You knew what?” Sam asked as realization popped into Angel's mind, “What are you talking about?”

Dean met her eye, as if sensing she put the pieces together, “There's only _one_ thing that can give and take life like that.”

  
She scoffed as she shook her head, “You think we're dealing with a _reaper_.”

**SECTION THREE**

Sam looked between them, “You guys really think it's _The_ Grim Reaper? Like, _angel of death, collect your soul_ , the _whole_ deal?”

“No, not _the_ reaper, _a_ reaper.” Angel corrected, “Pretty much in every culture on earth there's a reaper law. They have like… _hundreds_ of different names all around. Chances are there's more than _one_ of them.”

Sam looked over to Dean, “But you said you saw a dude in a suit.”

“What, you think he shoulda been working the whole black robe thing?” Dean raised a brow, “You said it yourself that the clock _stopped_ right? _Reapers stop time_.” He showed them a page of lore, “And you can only see 'em when they're coming at you which is why I could see it and you guys couldn't.”

Sam still looked and sounded unsure, “ _Maybe_.”

Angel tapped her fingers on the table, “You thinkin’ it could be somethin’ else?”

“There's nothing else it could be.” Dean dismissed, “The question is how is Roy controlling the damn thing?”

“That cross…”

Dean looked up, “What?”

“Oh yeah, the one from the tent that had that symbol on it…” Angel nodded, “You think he's using that?”

“I've seen it before.” Sam looked through some papers before he snorted and held a card up to them, “Here.”

Dean leaned in and took the tarot card questioningly, “ _A Tarot_?”

“I mean… it works.” Angel said as she took the card from Dean to study it, “Think about it, tarot dates back to the early christian era when some priests were still using magic. A few of them veered into the dark stuff; i.e.: Necromancy, _how to push death away and how to cause it_.” She nodded at Dean, “This guy is using black magic to bind a reaper. Which is about one of the stupidest things he could do. Guys an idiot.”

Sam scoffed in agreement, “He's riding the _whirlwind_. It's like putting a dog leash on a great white.”

Dean got up and put his cup in the sink before leaning back against it, “Okay, then we stop Roy.”

“How?”

Dean met Sam's eyes, “You _know_ how.”

“Wait, what the hell are you talking about Dean?” Sam bristled, “We can't _kill_ Roy.”

“Sam, _the guys playing God_ . He's deciding who _lives_ and who _dies_ . That's a _monster_ in my book.”

“Sam’s right, Dean.” Angel dismissed as she got up, “We’re not in the business of snuffing humans, alright?”

“We do that, we're no better than _he_ is!”

“Ok, _we can't kill Roy, we can't kill death_.” He looked exasperatedly from Angel to A=Sam, “Any bright ideas college boy?”

“Okay, uh… If Roy's using some kind of black spell on the reaper, we gotta figure out _what_ it is. _And how to break it_.”

**_Outside the church tent…_ **

The Impala once again bounced down the badly gravelled and potholed road, passing a sign that said ‘ _Service Today_ ’. They parked and quickly exited the car.

“If Roy's using a spell, there might be a spell book.”

“See if you guys can find it.” Dean looked at his watch, “Hurry up too, the service starts in fifteen minutes. I'll try to stall Roy.”

A man held out a leaflet to Dean, “Roy LeGrange is a fraud. He's no healer.”

Dean took it with a smile, “Amen Brother.”

Sam patted him on the shoulder as he followed Angel, “You keep up the good work.”

The man nodded, “Thank you.”

Sam and Angel both watched from the corner of the porch as Roy came down the stairs, assisted by Sue Ann on one arm and a dark haired man the other. After they were gone, Sam and Angel promptly climbed in from a window and started searching through the house. Sam looked on the bookshelves and pulled out the only book that doesn't have dust on the shelf in front of it. ‘ _Encyclopedia of Christian History_ ’. He flipped through it, finding nothing, then realized there was another, smaller book, hidden on the bookshelf behind the larger one. 

“Ang…”

She quickly grabbed the newspaper articles she found and walked over to him, “What is it?”

Inside the smaller book was a picture of a skeleton reaper, and on another page the wooden cross they saw earlier in the tent. 

“Thats not all…” Angel handed over the newspaper articles about the people who died, “Get a look at these.”

The man that died for Dean was an openly gay teacher, the most recent victim was an abortion rights advocate. 

She pointed to the third clipping about Wright, the man that had been handing out leaflets in front of the tent, “He's our next vic.”

Angel quickly pulled out her phone and dialed Dean, speaking as soon as he answered, “Roy's choosing victims he thinks are immoral. You remember the dude handing out the leaflets? The protestor? _He's_ next.”

_“What, the guy in the parking lot?”_

“Yeah, we’ll find him, but you can't let Roy heal anyone, alright?”

After hanging up, the two of them hurried to the car park and started frantically searching for Mr. Wright. They found him at the exterior of the car park, sprinting around a car as the reaper followed slowly.

“Help!” His screams caught their attention, “Help me!”

They turned and ran towards the sound of his voice.

“Help! Help me please!”

They finally found him, and began looking around wildly as they searched for the reaper, “Where is it?” Sam demanded, “ _Where_?”

Mr. Wright grabbed Sam's shoulder and pointed, “Right there!”

“Okay…” Angel started pulling both men in the opposite direction, “Then lets run _this_ way.”

Soon, people were pouring out of the tent as Angel's phone rang, “Dean?”

“I did it, I stopped Roy.”

She let out a breath of relief as she looked back to Sam and the shaking protester, addressing him by his first name, “I think youre gonna be okay, David.”

He looked from her to Sam and nodded but when he turned around the reaper was right in front of him.

“No!”

“Dean it didn't work.” Angel yelled helplessly as David collapsed to the ground, “The reaper's still coming!”

_“What- Angel that's not possible, I stopped Roy!”_

“I'm telling you it didn't work, Dean!” She dropped beside David with Sam just as his eyes glazed over white, “Roy must not be the one controlling this thing.”

_“Then who the hell is?” He went quiet for a second before Angel heard his voice again, “Sue Ann.”_

“The wife?” She asked but the line went silent so she turned to Sam, “It's the wife that's doing all this.”

A second later, David gasped for breath a few more times before his eyes went back to normal and he stilled.

“We got you.” Sam said as they helped him up, “We got you.”

David let out a relieved gasp, “Thank God.”

Sam and Angel met Dean outside of the tent. They watched as he had an emotion filled conversation with Layla before turning and joining them. As he did, Layla rejoined her mother who was talking to Roy and Sue Ann.

“Private session tonight, no interruptions.” Roy nodded, “I give you my word, _I'll heal your daughter_.”

Mrs. Rourke cried in happiness, “Thank you reverend. God bless you.”

**_Back at the motel room…_ **

Angel sat on the bed beside Sam, “So Roy really believes.”

“I don't think he has any idea what his wife's doing.”

“Well, we found this.” Sam handed the little book to Dean, “Hidden in their library. It's ancient. Written by a priest who went _dark side_. There's a binding spell in here for trapping a reaper.”

Dean flipped through it, “Must be a hell of a spell.”

“ _Oh yeah_ .” Angel scoffed, “You gotta build a black alter with some serious dark magic ammunition: _Bones, human blood_.”

“To cross a line like that, that preacher's wife-” Sam scoffed as he shook his head, “Black magic. Murder… _Evil_.”

“ _Desperate_ .” Dean said as it hit him, “Her husband was dying, she didn't have anything to save him. _She was using the binding spell to keep the reaper away from Roy_.”

“Cheating death.” Sam chuckled, “ _Literally_.”

“Yeah but _Roy's alive_ , so why is she still using the spell?”

“To force the reaper to kill people _she_ thinks are immoral.” Angel answered as she shook her head, “To fulfill her own little bigoted agenda.”

Dean scoffed, “May God save us from _half_ the people who think they're doing God's work.”

“We gotta break that binding spell so she stops killing these people.”

Dean looked back down at the picture of the cross in the book, “You know… Sue Ann had a coptic cross like this. When she dropped it the reaper backed off.”

Sam looked at him, “So you think we gotta find the cross or destroy the altar?”

“Maybe both.”

  
“Well… Whatever we do we gotta do it fast.” Angel looked between them, “Roys healing Layla _tonight_.”

**SECTION FOUR**

**_That night at the church tent car park…_ **

Dean pulled the impala in without its lights on and stopped.

“That's Layla's car.” Sam motioned, “She's already here.”

Dean nodded sadly, “Yeah…”

“Dean…”

“You know if Roy woulda picked Layla instead of me she'd be here right now. And if she's not healed tonight she's gonna die in a couple months.”

Angel put a sad hand on her brother's shoulder, “Dean, what's happening to Layla is horrible, but… Now that we know what's really going on, we can't let someone else die to save her. You said it yourself, we can't play God.”

Dean sat in the car for a second without speaking before getting out, the other two following. They approached the tent and peered inside. Roy was speaking to a small group of the faithful, including Layla and her mother.

“Gather round, please everyone, gather round. Come in closer, come on up.”

Dean's eyes sifted through the crowd, “Where's Sue Ann?”

“Probably at her house.” Angel motioned and they followed, “Lets go.”

After a little walking Dean spotted something, “You guys go find Sue Ann, I'll catch up.”

Sam looked over ar he pushed them away out of sight, “What are you gunna-”

Spying the cops that roughly escorted him out earlier, Dean earned their attention, “Hey!” They looked over, “You gonna put that fear of God in me?”

Both cops dropped their coffee and bolted after Dean who took off in the opposite direction. 

As soon as they were gone Angel gave Sam a look, “Now you see what i mean about the local cops? _Always in the way_.”

Sam ignored her, “Come on.”

They ran up the porch stairs and checked inside the house. No movement and it was completely dark. They looked at each other in confusion as they turned around. Sam motioned when he spotted light emerging from the cracks of the outside basement entrance. They moved toward the basement entrance, Sam quietly opening the doors so they could slip inside.

The two of them moved quietly through the basement to a candlelit altar littered with parts of dead animals, blood, horns, and other disgusting items. In the middle of it laid a photo of Dean, taken from the security camera the first time they were in the tent, before he was healed. His face was crossed out with what looked like blood. Sam and Angel each shared a grim look before Sue Ann's voice startled them and they swung around.

“I gave your brother life and I can take it away.”

Furiously, Sam tipped over the table the altar was on as Angel bolted for Sue Ann, but she was already up the stairs. She closed the hatches and secured it with a beam as Angel and Sam both tried to push against it.

“Sam, Angel, can't you see? The Lord _chose me_ to reward the _just_ and punish the _wicked_ . Your brother is _wicked_ and he deserves to _die_ just as _Layla_ deserves to _live_ . It is _God's_ will.”

Angel hit against the door as Sam turned to survey the room, “You are one crazy bitch, lady!”

“Goodbye Angel.” Sue Ann's voice sounded once more, “Goodbye Sam.”

“Angel.”

She turned and helped Sam pull a block of wood out from the wall just before he smashed out a small boarded up window.

**_In the car park…_ **

Dean was headed towards the tent when some lights went out. He stopped, turning to look behind him and watched the line of lights lighting the path go out one by one. He turned again to see the reaper walking toward him. The reaper placed his hand on the side of Dean's head and he immediately started convulsing.

**SECTION FIVE**

Just outside the tent, Sue Ann recited the Latin for the ritual as she held the cross in her hands. As she held it up, Angel and Sam appeared. Sam grabbed it from her and threw it against a rock. It broke into pieces revealing it to be a glass bottle of blood. 

Sue Ann fell to her knees beside the blood wailing, “My God, what have you done!”

Angel glared down at her, “He's not _your_ God.”

Sue Ann then looked up and terror struck her before she scrambled to her feet and tried to run. The reaper smiled at her before placing his hand on her head. Her eyes glazed over and she fell to her knees gasping for breath. After a moment, still smiling, the reaper allowed her to slip to the ground where she convulsed multiple times before dying. The reaper watched her, a look of satisfaction on his face.

“Come on.” Angel grabbed Sam as she turned to leave, “Let's find Dean.”

Dean made it back to the impala just as Angel and Sam approached, the latter looking him over as he grimaced, “You okay?”

Dean shook his head, “Hell of a week.”

“Yeah.” Angel opened the car door, “Let's get the hell out of here, shall we?”

**_Back at the motel…_ **

Dean sat on the bed, staring at nothing as Sam watched him, “What is it?”

He shook his head, “Nothing.”

Sam silenced but Angel studied him for a few seconds before taking a seat beside him, her voice gentle, “Wanna try that again, D?”

His hands tensed as he stared at the wall, “We did the right thing here didn't we?”

She nodded without another thought, “Of course we did.”

Dean still hung his head, “It doesn't feel like it.”

She frowned at him as a knock sounded at the door, Sam moved toward it, “I got it.” He opened the door as Dean and Angel turned to see Layla, “Hey Layla. Come on in.”

She smiled politely at them as she entered, “Hey.”

“Hey…” Dean quickly got to his feet, “How did you know we were here?”

“Sam called.” She smiled, “He said you… wanted to say goodbye.”

Dean glanced at Sam, who was still standing at the door looking sheepish, “I'm gonna… grab a soda.”

Angel smiled as she got up to follow him, “I'll join you.”

After they left Layla looked up to Dean curiously, “So, uh… Where are you going?”

“Oh, don't know yet… Our work kind of takes us all over.”

She watched Dean in silence for a moment, “You know… I went back to see Roy.”

Dean nodded slowly, “What happened?”

She sat down on one of the beds, “Nothing. He laid his hands on my forehead but nothing happened.”

“I’m sorry.” Sadness filled him as he sat beside her, “I'm sorry it didn't work.”

“And Sue Ann… She's dead you know? _Stroke_.”

“Yeah I heard… You know Roy's a good man. He doesn't deserve what's happened.” Dean looked over to her, “Must be rough. To believe in something so much, and have it disappoint you.”

Layla smiled brightly at him, “You wanna hear something weird? _I'm okay_ . _Really_ . I guess if you're gonna have faith… you can't just have it when the miracles happen. You have to have it when they _don't_.”

“So what now?”

Another small smile graced her lips, “ _God works in mysterious ways_.” She laid her hand softly on the side of Dean's face, staring at him, “Goodbye Dean.”

As she got up to move towards the door, Dean closed his eyes for a second and remained still before rising to face her, “Well…” He cleared his throat as Layla turned back to face him, “I'm not much of the praying type… but… I'm gonna pray for you.”

Layla's eyes shined with unshed tears, “Well… There's a miracle right there.”

Finally, she turned and left the room as Dean stood staring at the door.


	8. Nightmare

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sam has a premonition in which a man is killed, but the murder is made to look like a suicide. He convinces Angel and Dean that they must investigate the case, but the three are puzzled when they fail to find anything that indicates that the death was supernatural in nature. That is, until they find out that Max, the reclusive son of the first victim, has been using his recently acquired power of telekinesis to kill the family members that once abused him.

**DISCLAIMER:** I only own my character! Anything you might recognize is courtesy of the CW.

  
**WARNING:** Some of these episodes/chapters may contain graphic violence, cursing, mentions of suicide or assault and other triggering aspects. Proceed with caution please.

_Previously skipped: Route 666…_

_In a suburban neighborhood at night, a man drove down the street. He pulled into his garage and turned off the engine. The garage door started winding down by itself and he looked at it, confused. His car doors then self locked. He struggled with them for a second but couldn't open them. The ignition key turned by itself, starting the engine. Exhaust smoke began filling the garage and the man struggled to turn off the car to no avail. As the radio flicked on, he began coughing and gasping for air._

_“Help!” He screamed as the smoke became thick around him, “Somebody help me!”_

_Soon he fell over in his seat, unconscious._

Sam jerked up from his bed, suddenly wide awake after the horrid nightmare he just had. He looked across to where Angel was sleeping peacefully on the bed and Dean was snoring away on the pull out couch. Sam sat still for a brief second before springing into action. He flipped on the light switch and shook his brother roughly.

“Dean. _Dean_.” The moment Dean stirred, Sam moved onto Angel shaking her awake until he heard her groan with disapproval, “Angel, wake up.” 

When she opened her eyes she sent a death glare directly at Sam as he packed his things, “What the hell's going on?”

Dean rubbed his eyes, “What are you doing man, it's the middle of the night?”

“ _We have to go_.”

Angel raised herself on her elbows just watching him, “You better have a better explanation than ‘ _we have to go_ ’.”

“ _Seriously_.” This time they both heard the panic in his voice, “We need to get out of here.”

Dean and Angel immediately went on alert. They both got up and followed his suit with the packing.

Dean held more confusion than alarm in his face as he looked over to Sam, “What's happening?”

“We have to go.” Sam grabbed his bag and walked out, “ _Right now_.” 

Angel grumbled as she grabbed her bag and passed Dean, “We better be stopping for coffee.”

While Dean drove, Angel sat in the back as Sam sat on the phone reading from Deans fake Michigan State Police ID, “ _MccReady_ . Detective MccReady. Badge number 158. I've got a signal 480 in progress, I need the registered owner of a two door sedan, Michigan licence plate: _Mary-Frank-six-zero-three-seven_.” He paused for a second before becoming irritated, “Yeah okay, just hurry.””

“Sammy _relax_.” Dean instructed, “I'm sure it's just a nightmare.”

“Yeah, _tell me about it_.”

“I mean it. Y'know, _a normal, everyday, naked-in-class_ , nightmare.” Dean dismissed, trying to keep the real worry he was feeling from showing on his face, “This license plate, it won't check out. You'll see.”

Angel shifted uncomfortably in the back seat, not so sure that it _was_ just a run of the mill average nightmare. Sam's visions always seemed to come true and there really wasn't a manual on them.

“It felt _different,_ Dean. _Real_. Like when I dreamt about our old house, and Jessica.”

“Maybe they're expanding?” Angel offered, “Maybe… they're getting stronger or something.”

“ _No_.” Dean quickly dismissed that too, “Look, it made sense that you dreamt about our house and your girlfriend. This guy in your dream, you ever seen him before?”

“No.”

“No. _Exactly_. Why would you have premonitions about some random dude in Michigan?”

“I don't know.”

“Me neither. So chances are the plates aren't going to check out.”

Sam spoke into the phone, “Yes I'm here.” He listened, glared at Dean, then picked up his pen, “Jim Miller. Saginaw, Michigan. You have a street address? Got it. Thanks.” Hanging up the phone he looked to his big brother pointedly, “ _Checks out_.” His eyes went to Angels, “How far are we?”

“From Saginaw?” She asked looking over the map, “Mmm. Couple hours.”

He turned back to Dean, “ _Drive faster_.”

**_Outside Jim Miller’s house…_ **

The Impala cruised to a stop at the address given. Emergency vehicles lined the block and they watched as someone on a stretcher being zipped into a body bag. They turned to each other in the car before hurrying out. Dean and Angel sported concerned looks as Sam was clearly upset. After a few minutes of recon Angel walked over to the boys. 

Dean looked over to her, “What happened?”

“Neighbor says it’s an apparent suicide which is odd because she seen hims every Sunday at St. Augustine's and he always seemed normal.”

Sam asked, “How are they saying it happened?”

“She said they found him in the garage, locked inside his car with the engine running about an hour or two ago.”

Sam watched the front of the house where a woman stood on the front steps, crying and leaning against a middle aged man. A young man stood behind them, also looking distraught. Sam grimaced then turned to walk away, his siblings following him to lean against the Impala's bonnet.

Dean eyed him, “Sam, we got here as fast as we could.”

“Not fast enough.” Sam shook his head, “It doesn't make any sense. _Why_ would I even have these premonitions if there wasn't a _chance_ I could stop them from happening?”

“Maybe there's more to the story here.” Angel mused, “Maybe we’re missing something.”

Sam shook his head, “So what do you think killed him?”

“I don’t know Sam…”

“ _Maybe the guy just killed himself_ .” Dean looked between them, “ _Maybe_ there's nothing supernatural going on at all.”

“I'm telling you, _I watched it happen_ .” Sam pressed, “He was _murdered_ by something, Dean. I watched it trap him in the garage.”

Dean tensed, “What was it, a spirit, poltergeist, _what_?”

Sam started to get worked up, “I don't know what it was. I don't know _why_ I'm having these dreams. _I don't know what the hell is happening_!”

“Alright.” Angel quipped, “Just calm down.” She put a comforting hand on his shoulder, “I promise we’re going to figure everything out, alright? _It’s what we do_ , Sammy.”

“Yeah.” Sam nodded, stressed then noticed Dean staring at him, “ _What_?”

“Nothing.” He shrugged, “Man, I'm just- I'm _worried_ about you man.”

“Well, don't look at me like that!”

“I'm not looking at you like anything.” He glanced back, “Though I gotta say, _you do look like crap_.”

Angel scoffed, “Dean, _really_?”

“Nice.” Sam rolled his eyes, “ _Thanks_.”

“Come on.” Dean moved to open the car door, “Let's just pick this up in the morning. We'll check out the house, talk to the family.”

Angel shook her head, “That family is devastated. They’ll slam the old in our face if we show up asking questions.”

“Yeah, you're right.” Dean thought before a smirk formed on his face, “But I think I know who they _will_ talk to.”

Sam studied him, “ _Who_?”

Without another word he got in the car but Angel looked to her baby brother before following, “Look, forget Dean and how he _looks_ at you or whatever, okay? We’re gonna figure all of this out, like I said, so i don't want you to worry about it too much, okay?” She grinned, “Have I ever broken an _Angel sanctioned promise_?”

Sam smiled before nodding, “Thanks Angie.”

**_Miller House: The next day…_ **

Dean reached out to ring the doorbell clad in his priest attire. Next to him stood Sam; in similar priest attire with his hair slicked back and Angel; sporting a formal nuns uniform, her face the only thing visible.

Sam sighed deeply, “This has gotta be a whole new low for us.”

Angel glared, “ _You think_?”

Dean smirked at them before looking back at the door when it opened. The man who was comforting Ms. Miller on the step the night before looked between the three of them. 

“Good Afternoon.” Dean smiled politely as he started introductions, “I'm Father Simmons. This is Father Frehley and this is Sister Thayer. We're new junior priests over at St Augustines with Sister Thayer. May we come in?” The man stepped out of the way allowing Dean to enter first, “Thanks.”

Sam looks at him sadly, “We're very sorry for your loss.”

Angel nodded solemnly, “Truly.” 

When Dean started to add something both Angel and Sam gave him warning looks, “It's in difficult times like these when the Lord's guidance is most needed.”

Then man tensed at his words, “Look, you wanna pitch your whole ' _Lord has a plan_ ' thing? _Fine_ . Just don't pitch it to me. _My brother's dead_.”

Ms. Miller appeared from the hallway, “Roger, please!”

Roger moved back towards the Wake as he grumbled, “Excuse me.”

“I'm sorry about my brother in law. He's… he's just so upset about Jim's death. Would you three like some coffee?”

Angel smiled warmly at her, “That actually sounds lovely.”

**_In the lounge room…_ **

Dean sat on the couch next to Angel who fidgeted relentlessly with her disguise. Sam sat across from them in an armchair. 

“It was wonderful of you to stop by.” Ms. Miller poured coffee and handed it around, “The support of the church means so much right now.”

“Of course.” Dean grinned as he took his cup, “After all, _we are all God's children_.”

After she walked away Dean immediately took more cocktail sausages from the coffee table.

Chewing contentedly, he looked at Sam who was shaking his head, “ _What_?”

“Just… tone it down a little bit, _Father_.”

“Yeah.” Angel agreed, “We don't need to piss off the big man more than we already have.”

Ms. Miller returned and Dean immediately got to business, “So Ms. Miller, did your husband have a history of depression?”

“Nothing like that.” The more she spoke the more upset she became, “We had our ups and downs like everyone but we were happy.” Tears fell down her face as she sobbed, “I- I just don't understand… how Jim could do something like this.”

Sam looked her over sadly, “I'm so sorry you had to find him like that.”

“Actually…” Ms. Miller sniffled before she gestured behind her, “Our son Max… he was the one who found him.”

The three of them looked through the doors into the dining room and saw Max sitting in the corner by himself, staring into space.

Sam looked back at Ms. Miller, “Do you mind if maybe I go talk to him?”

She smiled, “Oh, thank you, Father.” 

As Sam got up, Angel leaned forward and put her coffee cup down, “Uh… May I use your restroom?”

“Oh of course, Sister.” She motioned to the stairs, “It's the first door on the left.”

She smiled as she stood, “Thank you.”

Before she turned to go upstairs she signaled to Dean for him to get more information. Once upstairs, she checked if the coast was clear before pulling out an infrared thermal scanner from her robes. She turned it on, shining it into rooms as she passed them and checked for cold spots. As she reached the end of the hall she heard footsteps coming up the stairs and hastily hid the scanner. As Sam and Dean appeared she relaxed.

Sam looks at her expectantly, “Anything?”

“Nope. Not a single beep.”

**_Back at the motel…_ **

Dean sat at one of the tables cleaning his as Sam entered with Angel trailing behind, “What do you have?”

“A whole lotta _nothing_.” Sam said in disappointment, “Nothing bad has happened in the Miller house since it was built. “

“What about the land?”

“ _Nope. Nada_ .” Angel shook her head, “No graveyards, battlefields, tribal lands or anything else that would set off our alarms on _or_ near the property.”

Dean sighed as watched Sam sink into the bed, “Hey man I hate to say it but I told you. Angel and I both looked top to bottom in that house. No sulfur, no cold spots, _nothing_.” 

Angel served him a dismissive eye, “ _I told you so’s_ aren't needed at the moment Dean.”

Sam looked disappointed as he turned to Dean, “And the family said everything was normal?”

“Well, if there was a demon or poltergeist in there you think somebody would have noticed something?”

Angel pulled the chair out and sat, “I even used the infrared thermal scanner Sammy. Nothing set it off.” 

“So what, you guys think Jim Miller killed himself and my dream was just some sorta… _freakish coincidence_?”

Dean and Angel shared a look before Dean shrugged, “I'm just pretty sure there's nothing supernatural about that house.”

“Yeah.” Sam rubbed his temples, “Well, maybe it has nothing to do with the house.” He took a deep breath as he held his head, “Maybe it's just… _Gosh_.” He held his hand to his forehead as he grimaced in pain, “Maybe… it's connected to Jim in some other way?”

Dean studied, “What's wrong with you?”

“Ah.” Sam groaned in anguish as he sank from the bed to crouch on the floor, “ _My head_.”

Dean and Angel both hurried to his side, “Sam?” Angel looked him over worriedly, “Hey, hey you’re okay. Just tell us what's happening.”

“Sam!” Dean grabbed his arms worriedly, “Hey! What's going on? Talk to us.”

Sam stared at them blankly as he gasped. His eyes moved around like he was watching something. Suddenly he focused on them again, in a panic.

“It's happening again. Something's gonna kill Roger Miller!”

**SECTION TWO**

Dean sped the impala down the road as he sent anxious glances to Sam who was on the phone as he held his head in pain, “ _Roger Miller_ . No no, just the address please. Ok, thanks.” He turned to Dean, “ _450 West Grove, Apartment 1120_.”

Angel leaned forward, “You're sure you're fine?”

“Yeah.”

Dean tried lightening the mood, “If you're gonna hurl I'll pull the car over you know, _cause the upholstery_ …”

Angel rolled her eyes, “ _Dean_.”

“What?”

“ _Not the time_.”

“Guys, I'm fine.”

“Alright.”

“Okay.”

“Just drive.” Sam looked from Dean to Angel, sighed heavily, and looked away, “Guys… _I'm scared_ … These nightmares weren't bad enough, now _I'm seeing things when I'm awake_ ? And these, _visions_ , or _whatever_ , they're getting more intense. _And painful_.”

“Come on man, you'll be alright.” Dean tensed, “It'll be fine.”

“Deans right.” Angel agreed, “We’re not gonna freak out or worry right now. Not until we figure out more about what's going on.”

“What is it about the Millers? Why am I connected to them, why am I watching them die? _Why the hell is this happening to me_?!”

“ _Listen Sam_ .” Angel turned to him, trying to calm him down, “I know you’re scared. I know you’re freaked. All this weird crap is happening to you but we’ve faced bigger badder things before, right? We face the unexplainable every day. This is just another one of those things. _We will figure it out_.”

“No.” He shook his head, not biting, “It's never been _us_ . It's never been in the family like this. _Tell the truth_ , you can't tell me this doesn't freak you out, Angel.” As her jaw tensed he turned to Dean, “ _Both_ of you, _tell the truth_.”

Angel put her best mask forward as she turned to him, “I said this didn't freak me out, Sam. _It doesn't_.”

“It doesn't freak me out either.” Dean lied after staring straight ahead in silence for a minute, “We’re gonna figure it out.”

Sam stared at them intensely before turning away.

**_Roger Miller's apartment block…_ **

The Impala pulled up as Roger approached the entrance of his building with a big bag of groceries. 

Sam yelled out the window, “Hey Roger!”

“Hey, hold up a second!”

Roger scowled when he saw them, “What are you three, _missionaries_? Leave me alone!”

“Please!” 

Without another word, Roger kept walking. Dean gunned the engine, jumping the curb as he hurriedly parked the car. The three of them scrambled out of the car and ran after him.

“Hey! Roger!” Dean hollered, “Roger!” 

“Please!” Sam pleaded as he made it to the entrance just as Roger closed and locked the door behind him, “Hey, hey!”

“Come on, man!” Angel called as he walked away, “We're trying to help!”

“I don't want your _help_!”

“We're not priests, she’s not a nun!” Sam hurriedly explained, “You gotta listen to us!”

“Roger, you're in danger!”

“Very very bad danger!”

Dean looked around as he disappeared into the building, “Come on.” 

They ran around the corner to a back entrance, but the gate was securely locked. Dean quickly looked around before kicking it open. They sprinted into the alley before climbing to the first level of the fire escape and running up the stairs. When they were one floor from Roger’s house, they heard the window slide down and a wet squelching noise right after. Sam froze as Dean and Angel sprinted past him. Roger’s head laid in the flower bed under the window, his blood all over the window, frame and dripping down the building. After a minute Sam joined them and they all paused for a couple minutes before Dean pulled out a few handkerchiefs and got to business.

He threw some to Sam and Angel before he started wiping down the railing, “Start wiping down your fingerprints, we don't want the cops to know we were here.” He urged Sam when he didn't move, “Come on, come on!”

As they did that Angel used hers to push up the other window leading out to the fire escape, “I'm gonna take a look inside.”

After they finished cleaning up their fingerprints and walked back to the car Angel spoke, “There was nothing there, Sam. _Nada_.” She looked over at him, “No signs just like when I checked the Millers house.”

Dean glared, “So we’ve still got _zip_ to go on.”

“I saw something… _in the vision_ . Like a dark shape. Something was- something was _stalking_ Roger.”

Dean asked, “Whatever it was, are you sure it's not connected to their house?”

“No, it's connected to the _family_ themselves.”

“Okay… maybe they pissed something off.” Angel offered, “Vengeful spirit?”

Dean shrugged, “A few of them have been known to latch onto families, follow them for years.”

“Angiak…” Angel listed, “Banshees even.”

“Basically like a curse.” Dean explained, “So maybe Roger and Jim Miller got involved in something heavy, _something curse worthy_.”

“And now the _something_ is out for revenge. And the men in their family are dying.”

“Which means…” Angel leaned forward, “Their son _Max_? He might be next.”

Dean quickly turned the car on, “Let's figure it out before he is.”

A grim look settled on Sams face, “Well, I know _one_ thing I have in common with these people

“What's that?”

“ _Both our families are cursed_.”

“Our family's not cursed!” Dean huffed, “We just… _had our dark spots_.”

“Yeah, those dark spots are _pitch black_ little brother.” Angel scoffed, “ _And huge_.”

**_Back at the Miller house…_ **

Max led Sam, Angel and Dean inside. They were both wearing their priest outfits and Angel was in her nun outfit.

“My Mom's resting, she's pretty wrecked.”

Dean nodded in understanding, “Of course.”

“All these people kept coming with like, casseroles? I finally had to tell them all to go away. You know cause nothing says _I'm sorry_ like a _tuna casserole_.” 

Angel smiled at him and Max smiled back. He gestured to the lounge and they all took seats. 

There was a moment of silence before Sam sighed, his voice soft when he spoke, “How you holding up?”

“Im okay…”

“You're dad and your uncle were close?”

“Yeah I guess. I mean, they were brothers. They used to hang out all the time when I was little.”

“But not lately much?”

“No, it's not that. It's just… we used to be neighbours when I was a kid. We lived across town in this house, and Uncle Roger lived next door. He was over all the time.”

“Right.” Sam nodded, “So how was it in that house when you were a kid?”

“It was fine…” Max narrowed his eyes at all of Sam’s questions, particularly that one, “Why?”

Angel interjected, “All good memories?”

“Sure.”

Dean was next, “Do you remember anything _unusual_? Something involving your father and your uncle maybe?

Max shook his head, “What do you… why do you ask?”

“Just a question.”

Max stiffened, leaning back as tears fell from his eyes, “No, there was _nothing_ .” He lied, “ _We were totally normal. Happy._ ”

“Good. That's good. Well you must be exhausted.” Dean motioned to Sam and Angel as he got the hint, “We should take off.”

“Right.” Sam turned to Max, “Thanks.”

“Yeah.”

The three walked down the driveway to stand beside the Impala, “That kid is totally hiding something.” Angel raised a brow, “I could see it in his face.”

“No one's family is totally normal and happy.” Dean agreed, “See when he was talking about his old house?”

Sam nodded, “He sounded _scared_.”

“Yeah Max isn't telling us everything. I say we go find the old neighbourhood.” Angel opened the car door, “Let's find out what life was _really_ like for the Millers.”

**_Another suburb…_ **

They stood on a footpath, talking to a man in his front yard, “Have you lived in the neighbourhood very long?”

“Yeah, almost 20 years now. It's nice and quiet. Why, you three looking to buy?”

“No, no.” Sam shook his head, “Actually, we were wondering if you might recall a family that used to live right across the street.”

“Yeah, _the Millers_.” Angel offered, “They had a little boy called Max.”

“Yeah I remember.” The man’s face turned sour, “The brother had the place next door. So uh, what's this about, is that poor kid ok?”

Sam eyed him, “What do you mean?”

“Well, in all my life I've never seen a child treated like that. I mean I'd hear Mr Miller yelling and throwing things clear across the street. _He was a mean drunk_. He used to beat the tar outta Max. Bruises. Broke his arm two times that I know of.”

“This was going on regularly?”

“ _Practically every day_ . In fact, that thug brother of his was just as likely to take a swing at the boy but the worst part was the _stepmother_ . She'd just stand there, _checked out_ , not lifting a _finger_ to protect him. I must have called the police seven or eight times.” He shook his head, “Never did any good.”

Dean pointed, “Now you said _step-mother_.”

He nodded, “I think his real mother died. Some sorta… accident. _Car accident,_ I think.” Sam’s hand came up to his head and he started grimacing in pain, “Are you ok there?”

Sam winced, “Uh, yeah.” 

Dean and Angel both go to his side, Angel sending the man a dismissive look, “Thanks for your time.”

Sam lifted his hands to his head, “Yeah, thank you.”

As they turned to leave, Dean and Angel supported Sam as he groaned in pain and went through another vision.

_He was suddenly in Miller's kitchen watching Ms. Miller chop vegetables with a large knife._

_Ms. Miller put the knife down, “I don't know what you mean by that. You know I never did anything.”_

_Max cried, “That's right. You didn't do anything.” The knife started to rattle on the chopping board, “You didn't stop them, not once.”_

_The knife lifted into the air and she backed up against the wall, “How did you…” It moved forward to hold her against the wall, “Max! Please!”_

_It twisted in front of her face, coming close enough to her eyeball to pierce the tear there so it ran down her cheek. She gasped in fear and panic._

_Max also had tears sliding down his cheeks, “For every time you stood there and watched. Pretending it wasn't happening.”_

_“I'm sorry!”_

_“No you're not. You just don't wanna die.”_

_Ms. Miller gasped and cried just before the knife sliced right through her eye and out the back of her head._

**SECTION THREE**

**_In the impala…_ **

“ _Max_ is doing it.” Sam rubbed his head from the aftereffects of the vision, “ _Everything_ I've been seeing.”

“You sure about this?”

“Yeah, I _saw_ him.”

Angel ran a hand over her face, “Well how's he pulling it off?”

“I don't know, like _telekinesis_?”

“What, so he's _psychic_?” Dean asked, “A spoon bender?”

Angel looked to Sam pointedly, “That’s probably the connection we were looking for between the two of you.”

Sam scoffed, “I didn't even realize it but this whole time, _he was there_ . He was outside the garage when his Dad died, he was in the apartment when his Uncle died. These visions, this whole time- _I wasn't connecting to the Millers, I was connecting to Max_ ! The thing is I don't get _why_.” He frowned as he stared out the window, “I guess… because we're so alike?“

“What are you talking about?” Dean bristled, “The dude's nothing like you.”

“Well… We both have psychic abilities, we both…”

“Both _what_ ?” Dean quipped, “Sam, _Max is a monster_. He's already killed two people, now he's gunning for a third.”

“Well, with what he went through, _the beatings_ , to want revenge on those people? I'm sorry, man, I hate to say it, but it's not that insane.”

“Yeah but it doesn't justify murdering your entire family!”

“Dean…” Angel looked over, “That kind of abuse can drive anyone to do crazy things. He's not thinking right.”

Dean pulled over at Max's house not changing his stance, “He's no different from anything else we've hunted, alright? _We gotta end him_.”

Sam looked at him crazily, “We're not going to _kill_ Max.”

“He’s just a kid Dean!”

“Then _what_ ? Hand him over to the cops and say ' _Lock him up officer; he kills with the power of his mind._ '?”

“No way.” Sam disagreed, “Forget it.”

Dean turned off the engine, “ _Sam…_ ”

“Dean!” Angel scoffed, “For Christ sakes he’s an abused kid. This decision is _so_ not up for debate.”

“We can talk to him.” Sam offered as Dean didn't look convinced, “Hey, promise me you'll follow my lead on this one.”

Dean paused for a few minutes, “Alright _fine_. But I'm not letting him hurt anybody else.” 

He removed his Taurus pistol from the glove compartment, glaring at Sam before opening the door. 

Inside the house, Ms. Miller was by the kitchen counter, just like in Sam’s vision, “You know I never did anything.”

“That's right. You didn't do _anything_ . You didn't _stop_ them, _not once_!”

When Sam, Angel and Dean burst through the front door, Ms. Miller jumped around to face them in confusion, “Sister? Fathers?”

Max scowled at the three of them, “What are you doing here?”

“Um…” Dean looked between them, “Sorry to interrupt.”

Angel turned to Ms. Miller, “We just need some of your son's time. _Quick minute_.”

“Max…” Sam turned his puppy dog eyes over to him, “Can we, uh, can we talk to you outside?”

Max stared at him suspiciously, “About _what_?”

“It's… it's _private_.” Sam pressed, “I wouldn't want to bother your mother with it.” He turned to Ms. Miller, “We won't be long at all though, I promise.”

Max looked at his stepmother and back, “Okay…”

“Great.”

They turned for the door and Max followed but just as Dean grasped the doorknob Max saw the butt of the pistol in Dean's waistband in the hall mirror. Suddenly the knob is pulled from Dean's hand and the door slammed shut, as does the wooden window blinds all around the room. 

“You’re not priests!” Max backed up, “And you aren’t a nun!”

Dean drew his gun but Max used his power to pull it away, sliding it across the floor to where he can pick it up. He held it on them as his stepmother screamed.

“Max, what's happening?!”

“Shut up!”

“What are you doing?!” 

Using his power, Max flung her backwards. She hit her head on the kitchen bench and fell to the ground unconscious

“I said shut up!”

Sam shuffled forward with his hands out, “Max, calm down.”

“Who are you?”

“We just wanna talk.”

“Yeah _right_ .” He scoffed and indicated the gun, “That's why you bought _this_!”

“That was a _mistake,_ alright? So was lying about who we were. But no more lying Max, okay? Just _please_ , just hear me out.”

“About _what_?”

“I _saw_ you do it.” Sam explained, “I _saw_ you kill your Dad _and_ your Uncle _before_ it happened.”

“ _What_?”

“I'm having visions Max. About you.”

Max scoffed again, “You're crazy!”

“So what, you _weren't_ gonna launch a knife at your stepmom?” Sam tapped his eye, shocking Max, “ _Right here_ ? Is it _that_ hard to believe Max? _Look what you can do_ . Max, I was drawn here all right? I think I'm here to _help_ you.”

Max cried as he shook his head, “ _No one can help me_.”

“Let me _try_ . _We'll_ just talk, _me and you_.” He motioned between his siblings and Ms. Miller, “We'll get Dean, Angel and Alice out of here.”

“Uh-uh.” Dean shook his head, “ _No way_.”

“Sam…” Angel's eyes went from the jumpy boy to Sam, “We’re not leaving you alone with him.” 

The three of them all look up as the chandelier begins to shake.

Max yelled angrily, “Nobody leaves this house!”

“And nobody has to, all right?” Sam calmed as he outstretched his hands again, “They'll just… they'll just go _upstairs_.”

“Sam.” Dean's eyes snapped back to his brothers, “We’re not leaving you alone.” 

Sam looked over calmly, “ _Yes,_ you are.” He turned back to Max, “Look, Max. You're in charge here, alright? We all know that. No one's going to do anything that you don't want to do but I'm talking _five minutes_ here man.”

“Sam!” Angel scoffed, “Not happening!”

Max glanced back at his stepmother, “Five minutes?” As he made his decision the chandelier stopped shaking, “ _Go_.”

At Sam's glare, Dean and Angel quickly move to pick up Ms. Miller and take her upstairs.

**_In the lounge…_ **

Sam and Max sat on the couch as Max stared at a letter opener, It raised on its point and began twirling slowly as he concentrated. 

Sam watched him as he spoke, “Look… I can't begin to understand what you went through.”

“That's right. _You can't_.”

“Max, _this has to stop_.”

“It will, _after_ my stepmother.”

“ _No_.” Sam argued, “You need to let her go.”

“ _Why_?”

“Did she beat you?”

“No, but she never tried to save me.” His eyes hardened, _“She's a part of it too_.”

“What they did to you, what they _all_ did to you growing up… They _deserve_ to be punished-”

“ _Growing up_ ? Try _last week_ .” Max cut him off as he stood and lifted his shirt to show the mass of bruises that marred his chest, “My dad _still_ hit me. Just in places people wouldn't see it. _Old habits die hard I guess_.”

Sam's eyes saddened, “I'm sorry.”

“When I first found out I could move things, _it was a gift_ . My whole life I was helpless but _now_ I had _this_ .” Max's eyes snapped to Sams, “So last week Dad got drunk. _The first time in a long time_ . And he beats me to hell, _the first time in a long time_ . And then I _knew_ what I had to do.”

“Why didn't you just leave?”

“It wasn't about getting away. Just _knowing_ they would still be out there- It was about… _not being afraid_ . When my Dad used to look at me, there was _hate_ in his eyes. Do you know what that feels like?”

Sam shook his head, “No.”

“He blamed me for _everything_ . For his _job_ , for his _life_ , _for my Mom's death_.”

Sam eyed him, “Why would he blame you for your Mom's death?”

“Because she died in _my_ nursery, while I was asleep in my crib. As if that makes it _my_ fault!”

Shock rocked Sam, “ _She died in your nursery_?”

_  
“There was a fire. And he'd get drunk and babble on like she died in some insane way. He said that she burned up. Pinned to the ceiling !”_

_**SECTION FOUR** _

Sam shifted forward in his seat, “ _Listen to me_ , Max. What your Dad said, about what happened to your Mom, _it's real._ ”

“ _What_?”

“It happened to my Mom too, _exactly the same_. My nursery, my crib, my Dad saw her on the ceiling.”

“Your Dad must have been as drunk as mine.”

“No, no. It's the same thing, Max. _The same thing killed our mothers_.”

“That's impossible.”

“This must be why I'm having visions during the day…” Sam mused, still in shock at the revelation he just discovered, “Why they're getting more intense. Cause you and I must be connected in some way. Your abilities, they started 6-7 months ago right, out of the blue?”

“How'd you know that?”

“Cause that's when _my_ abilities started Max. Yours seem to me much further along but _still_ , this has to mean something right? I mean, for some reason, you and I… _you and I were chosen_.”

“For _what_?”

“I don't know.” He shook his head, “But Dean, Angel and I, _my siblings and I_ , we're hunting for your Mom's killer. We can find _answers_ , answers that can help us _both_. But you gotta let us go Max. You gotta let your stepmother go.”

Max stayed silent for a second as he thought but dismissed Sam, “ _No_ . What they did to me… _I still have nightmares_ . I'm so scared _all_ the time, like I'm just waiting for that next beating. I'm so sick of being scared all the time.” He angrily got up and stormed away from Sam, “ _I just want this to be over_!”

“It _won't_ .” Sam stood and quickly ran in front of him, “Don't you get it? The nightmares _won't_ end, Max. _Not like this_ . It's just… _more pain_. And it makes you as bad as them. Max, you don't have to go through all this by yourself.”

“I'm sorry.” 

Max used his powers to fling Sam backwards into the hall closest and slam the door. He looked across the room and a tall, heavy, hallway bookshelf slid in front of the doors, blocking Sam in.

Sam banged on the doors, “No! Max!”

**_Upstairs…_ **

Ms. Miller sat on the bed with Dean crouched beside her. He held a facecloth to her bleeding forehead as Angel sat beside her trying to console her. The door creaked open on its own before Max walked in. Dean and Angel both got up as they sent each other looks of worry. Dean stepped forward further as Angel shuffled the woman behind her. Dean carefully moved toward Max as the door slammed behind him. Within a beat, Max sent Dean flying into the wall with a painful thud. 

He groaned in pain from the impact, “Son of a-

Ms. Miller gasped in shock and fear, “Max!”

“Dean!” Angel turned to go to her brother's side but stopped when Max took out Dean's pistol with shaking hands, “Max… just listen to me. You don't wanna do this. Not really.”

“ _Yes…_ I do.”

As Dean got up and walked towards him, Angel grabbed his arm, “Dean _don't_.”

“It’s okay.” He brushed her off, “He’s not gonna shoot, are ya Max?”

He stopped his advance when Max let go of the gun, leaving it floating in mid air. The trigger cocked before the gun turned to point at Ms. Miller, who was still cowering behind Angel. Dean immediately stepped in front of them. 

“ _Stay back_ .” Max warned, “This is not about _you or her_. This is about my stepmom.”

Dean glared, “You wanna kill her you gotta go through me first.”

Conviction shined in Maxs eyes, “ _Okay_.”

“Max…” Angel tensed, “Don't do-”

The gun fired abruptly. Blood splattered over the wall as well as all over Angel as she jumped in shock. Dean, with a bullet hole in the middle of his forehead, eyes blank, wavered for a second before collapsing heavily to the ground. 

“Dean!” Angel, panicked and crying, dropped next to his dead body and didn't notice Max turn the gun on her, “No, no!” 

In another split second, Max pulled the trigger and fatally shot her as well before finally pointing the gun on his stepmom. Back downstairs Sam came back to consciousness, gasping and holding his head at the intense realistic vision he just had.

“No.” Panic surged through him as he started banging on the door, “NO!”

From his hysteria, the bookcase in front of the closet doors swung away from the door. Sam froze, then put his hand out to open the door and they instantly swung open.

**_Upstairs…_ **

“Max…” Ms. Miller gasped as the gun, in midair, turned to point directly at her, “Max, _no_.”

“Max…” Angel held her hands out trying to calm him, “ _Just listen to me_. You don't wanna do this. Not really.”

“ _Yes…_ I do.”

As Dean got up and walked towards him, Angel grabbed his arm, “Dean _don't_.”

“It's okay.” He brushed her off, “He’s not gonna shoot, are ya Max?”

He stopped his advance when Max let go of the gun, leaving it floating in mid air. The trigger cocked before the gun turned to point at Ms. Miller, who was still cowering behind Angel. Dean immediately stepped in front of them. 

“ _Stay back_ .” Max warned, “This is not about _you or her_. This is about my stepmom.”

Dean glared, “You wanna kill her you gotta go through me first.”

Conviction shined in Maxs eyes, “ _Okay_.”

“Max…” Angel tensed, “Don't do-“

But before he could shoot, the door burst open and Sam rushed in, “No don't! _Don't_ ! Please, Max. _We can help you_ .” Sam pleaded with him as he tried talking him down, “Alright? But _this_ , what you're doing, it's _not_ the solution. It's not gonna fix _anything_.”

Max verged more and more on hysteria as he cried. He was shaky, and sweaty as he stared at Sam in anguish. In the beat of a second, Max instantly relaxed as his face cleared of any emotion.

“You're right…”

Sam smiled at him but before he could react Max swung around to point the gun at himself and quickly pulled the trigger so he shot himself in the head. 

Sam lunged forward, “NO!”

**SECTION FIVE**

**_In the lounge…_ **

Ms. Miller sat on the couch in tears as she recalled the events of what happened to the police, “Max _attacked_ me. He threatened me with a gun.”

The cop pointed to the Winchester’s, “And these three?”

“They're… family friends. I called them soon as Max arrived, _I was scared_ . They tried to _stop_ him. They fought for the gun.”

“Where did Max get the gun?”

Sam and Dean exchanged looks with Angel but Ms. Miller didn't out them. Instead she cried harder as looked up to the ceiling. 

“ _I don't know_. He showed up with it and-” 

As she started to sob, the officer squeezed her shoulder comfortingly, “It's all right Ms Miller.”

She sobbed harder, “I've lost _everyone_.”

The cop turned to the Winchester’s, “We'll give you a call if we have any further questions.”

Angel nodded, “Thank you, officer.” She motioned to her brothers, “Come on.”

As they walked down the path towards the car, Sam looked pained, “If I'd just said something else. Gotten through to him somehow.”

Dean stopped them, “Don't do that, Sam.”

“Do _what_?”

“ _Torture_ yourself.” Angel finished, “That kid was too far gone for help, Sammy.”

“When I think about how he looked at me… Right before. _I shoulda done something_.”

“Come on man, _you risked your life_ .” Dean countered, “I mean _yeah_ , maybe if we had gotten here 20 years earlier we could have helped him.”

Sam moved to the passenger side of the impala, “Well, I'll tell you _one_ thing. We're lucky we had Dad.”

Dean and Angel both looked astounded but pleased, “Well, I never thought I'd hear you say _that_.”

“Yeah…”Angels eyes went wide, “ _Has hell frozen over_?”

“I’m just saying… it coulda gone a _whole_ other way after Mom. A little more tequila and a little less demon hunting and we would've had Max's childhood. _All things considered_ , we turned out _okay_. Thanks to him.”

Dean looked Sam over as he repeated his words, “All things considered.”

Ange smirked getting in last, “I don’t know about you two but I turned out freaking _amazing_.”

**_Back at the motel room…_ **

Sam placed a bag in the trunk of the Impala which was backed up to their door, and returned inside, “Guys, I've been thinking.”

“Uh oh.” Dean commented sarcastically, “ _That's_ never a good thing.”

“ _I'm serious_ .” Sam dismissed him, “I've been thinking, this _demon_ , whatever it is. Why would it kill _Mom, Jessica, and Max's mother_ , you know? What does it want?”

“I have no idea…”

Angel pursed her lips, “What does _any_ demon want? To commit mass tragedy? There’s no real reason besides _that_ , Sammy.”

“Well, you think, maybe… It was after _us_ ? After _Max and me_?”

Dean and Angel both looked at him oddly, “Why would you think that?”

“I mean, either _telekinesis or premonitions_ … We _both_ had abilities, you know? Maybe he was- he was after _us_ for some reason.” 

“Sam.” Dean dismissed, “If it had wanted _you_ , it would've just _taken_ you, okay? This is not _your_ fault, it's not about _you_.”

“Then _what is it_ about?”

“Sammy, it's about that _evil piece of crap thing_ that did this to our family.” Angel looked into his eyes softly, “And you know what? We’re gonna find it and we’re gonna kill it. End of story.”

“Actually there's uh… there's something _else_ too.”

“Okay…” Angel looked him over, “Whatever it is, you look _spooked_.”

Sam swallowed hard, “When Max left me in that closet, with that big cabinet against the door… _I moved it_.”

Angel raised a brow, “You _moved_ it?”

“Huh.” Dean smirked, “You got a little more upper body strength than I gave you credit for.”

“ _No_ .” Sam shook his head, “I _moved_ it. _Like Max_.”

Angel stilled and Dean paused from gathering his clothes, both standing still as they watched Sam. Silence stretched on between them before Dean picked up a spoon and brought it over to Sam.

“ _Bend this_.”

Sam let out a frustrated huff, “I can't just turn it on and off Dean!”

“He knows that, he's just being a smart ass.” Angel glared as Dean shrugged, “How'd that even happen, Sammy?”

“I don't know… _I can't control it_ . I just… I saw you both _die_ and it just came out of me like a- like a _punch_ . You know like a… _freak adrenaline thing_.”

Dean dismissed him, “Yeah, well I'm sure it won't happen again.”

Angel agreed less than convincingly, “Right…” 

“Yeah, maybe…” Sam wasn't convinced either, “Aren't you guys worried? Aren't you worried that I could turn into Max or something?”

Conviction filled Angel as she pierced her eyes with Sams, “Sam there's _no way_ you'd turn into that kid.”

“Why?”

“Cause you got one advantage Max didn't have.”

“ _Dad_?” Sam scoffed, “Because Dad's not here, Angie.”

“I think she's talkin’ about _us_.” Dean smirked, “As long as we’re around, nothing bad is gonna happen to you.” Sam gave them a puppy dog look and a tiny smile as Dean slings his bag over his shoulder, “Now then, I know what we need to do about your premonitions. I know where we have to go.” 

“Where?”

Angel rolled her eyes, “Oh, _this should be good_.”

  
Dean turned to them very, “ _Vegas_.” Sam gave him his best bitch face before walking out the door to the car, “ _What_? Come on, man. _Craps tables_. We'd clean up!” Angel rolled her eyes at Dean before following Sam out, Dean following behind with a grin, “What? What'd i say?”


	9. The Benders

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Angel, Sam and Dean head to Minnesota where a young boy witnesses a man vanish into thin air. Upon searching for clues, Angel and Sam are abducted by what they assume is a supernatural being, and Dean is left to search frantically for his brother and sister.

**DISCLAIMER:** I only own my character! Anything you might recognize is courtesy of the CW. Any Gifs and/or pics present are not mine. They were pulled from google searches and/or Tumblr.

**_Prologue: Hibbing, Minnesota…_ **

_A young boy laid in his bed as he watched TV. Outside, he heard a noise and got up to look out the window. A man was walking in a parking lot with two bags of garbage in his hands. He quickly threw the bags into a dumpster before walking back to his car. When a screeching noise sounded loudly he stopped walking and looked around. Getting down on his knees, he checked underneath the car and screamed when he saw something horrifying. As soon as he stood, an invisible force pulled him back to the ground, on his stomach, and dragged him under the car, screaming, until he was gone. The boy looked on in fear before hurriedly shutting his curtains._

**_A few nights later at Kugels Keg…_ **

Angel sat beside Sam as she sipped her whisky, “So, the neighbor kid thinks whatever took our vic is some kind of monster of mythical proportions?”

“Seemed pretty convinced.” Dean said a few feet away from them as he threw darts, “Said he saw it pull Jenkins underneath a car before it growled and took off.”

“I don't know…” Sam shook his head, “He was up watching _Godzilla vs. Mothra_ so he could have just spooked himself and _thought_ he heard a growl.”

“Hm…” Angel tapped her glass, “I talked to the local police and they said they ruled out foul play.”

“Why?”

“Apparently, there _were_ signs of a struggle.”

Dean turned, “Well, they could be right, it could just be a kidnapping.” He shrugged, “Maybe this isn’t our kind of gig.”

“Yeah, maybe not. Except for this.” Sam slid their fathers journal over to Angel, “ _Dad marked the area_ .” Dean came to the table and looked at the journal over Angel's shoulder, “‘ _Possible hunting grounds of a phantom attacker._ ’”

Deans brows furrowed, “Why would he even do that?”

“He found a lot of local folklore about a dark figure that comes out at night. _Grabs people, then vanishes._ ” Sam explained before pointing to another passage, “He found _this_ too- _this county has more missing persons per capita than anywhere else in the state_.”

“Jeeze.” Angel mumbled as she read through their fathers work, “That is weird.”

“ _Yeah_.”

“Don’t phantom attackers usually snatch people from their _beds_ ?” Dean asked, “Jenkins was taken from a _parking lot_.”

“No, there's all kinds of different _types_ .” Angel shook her head looking up at them, “ _Spring Heeled Jacks, phantom gassers_ \- those ones take people _anywhere, anytime_.”

“Look, guys…” Sam shook his head unsure, “I don’t know if this is our kind of gig either. It might be but we dont have alot of information.”

“We need to ask around more tomorrow.” Angel got up and put some money on the table, “ _In the meantime_ , I saw a motel about five miles back so-”

“Whoa, whoa, _easy_.” Dean frowned as he turned from the dart board, “Let’s have another round.”

“I'm with Angel.” Sam shook his head as he grinned at Deans pouting, “We should get an early start.”

“Yeah, you two _really_ know how to have fun, don’t you, _Grandma and Grandpa_?”

“Oh, don't start _that_ game, D.” She grinned before shooting back the rest of her whisky, “The last time you tried to out _fun_ me, you woke up in a Tennessee junkyard _with an eyebrow piercing_ next to some cowboy named _Buck_ .” She smirked, “ _I still have the voicemail you guys left me.”_

Sam bulked at Dean's pale face from that comment before erupting in laughter, “Wait- _what_?!”

“You said you deleted that!” He squeaked, “And you swore you wouldn't ever bring that night up, Angel!”

“ _Did i_?” She grinned mischievously, “Must've slipped my mind, little brother. My apologies.”

“ _Oh man_ .” Sam chuckled turning to her, “I _gotta_ hear this story.”

“Alright, alright!” Dean conceded, “I'll meet you guys outside, just lemme take a leak.”

He irritatedly grabbed his coat and hurried off towards the bathroom as Angel snickered. Sam quickly gathered up his research and followed his sister outside.

“ _So…_ ” He smirked down at her as they walked towards the car, “ _Tennessee,_ huh?”

What sounded like chains dragging earned her attention and she stopped her brother, motioning him to be quiet as she took out her gun. Sam followed suit and placed their Dad’s journal on the hood of the car before taking out a flashlight from his coat pocket. He turned it on and they both began looking around. Turning he motioned for Angel to get ready before he bent down to look under the car. An orange cat swatted and hissed at him before sprinting past Angel and fleeing away from them with an angry meow.

Sam flung himself backwards in startlement, “Whoa!”

“ _Really_?!” Angel huffed as Sam laughed, “I almost freakin’ shot Garfield!”

He got up and shook his head as she put her gun on the Impala, “Guess we’re both a little jumpy.”

“Guess so.”

A few minutes later, Dean came out of the bar and walked to the car, but Angel and Sam weren't anywhere in sight. He quickly noticed the journal and Angel's gun sitting on the hood and hurriedly opened the car to check inside but neither of them were in there. Confusion filled him as he started to look around. A group of people coming out of the bar earned his attention.

Dean walked up to a biker and his girlfriend, “Hey, you guys been outside, around here in the last hour or so?” They shook their heads at him before walking away and worry filled him, “Sam! Angel!” He frantically started to look around, “Sammy! Ang!” He turned around and noticed a surveillance camera on top of a streetlight before walking into the middle of the deserted road and looking around, “Dammit!”

**_Unknown location…_ **

Angel jerked awake with a painful groan. As she sat up she grimaced and her hand went to the back of her head where a lump was forming. As her memory flooded back she looked around with wide eyes and discovered she was trapped in a small cage. Across from her was Jenkins, the missing local, passed out and not moving. On the other side of her a few feet away, her eyes landed on her little brother, passed out on his back. Hurrying over to the side of her cage closest to him she rattled the bars trying to open them or at least wake him up.

“Sam?” Her voice rose a little as she called to him, “Sammy, you gotta wake up.” Frantically she shook the bars again, “ _Sam_!” Once he stirred and got up just as confused as she was, a little relief filled her, “Thank God. Are you okay?”

“Yeah… yeah i think.” He looked around in confusion, “What the hell happened? Where are we?”

“I have no idea…” She huffed and motioned to the cage across from them, “We’re not alone though.”

Fear clouded Sam's eyes before he stood as much as the cage would allow, “We gotta get out of here.” 

He rattled the bars of his cage as Angel did the same to hers, neither of them budging. Sam grabbed the top bars and tried swinging his body to kick down the door, but once again it didn't budge. Angel turned when she heard Jenkins groan as he woke up.

She rushed over to talk to him through the bars of their cages as Sam got as close as he could, “You’re alive, good. Thats- thats _good_.” She nodded as he groaned again, “You hurt? You okay?”

“Does it _look_ like I’m doin’ _okay_?”

“Fair enough.” Angel nodded, “You know where we are by chance?”

“I don’t know… The _country_ , I think. _Smells_ like the country.”

Sam studied him, “You’re _Alvin Jenkins_ , aren’t you?”

“Yeah.”

Sam sighed, sharing a look with his sister, “We were lookin’ for ya.”

“ _Oh, yeah_?”

“Yeah.”

“Well, _no offense_ , but this is a _piss-poor rescue_.”

“Yeah, you know when people use the phrase ‘ _No offense_ ’ it's generally followed by some snarky ass comment.” Angel glared, “Our brothers out there right now probably tearing up this whole town looking for us so-”

“ _So_ , he’s not gonna find us. _We’re in the middle of nowhere_ .” He nodded towards the door leading into the building, “Waiting for them to come back and do _God-knows-what_ to us.”

Angel leaned back on her bars, “Aren't you just a giant box of sunshine…”

“What are they?” Sam asked, trying to figure out what they were up against, “Have you seen them?”

“What are you talking about?”

“ _Whatever’s got us_ , what’d they look like?”

As the door to the building opened Jenkins hurried to the back of his cage, “See for yourself.”

Two men wearing black coats and hats walked in. One man walked over to Jenkins’ cage and hit the side of it with a large bat making Jenkins scurry back into the corner. The other man went over to a panel of buttons attached to a pole in the middle of the room. He inserted a key into the panel and twisted it, unlocking Jenkins’ cage. As the men entered Jenkins started freaking out.

“Leave me alone! Don’t you take me, _leave me alone_!”

They placed a plate of food in front of Jenkins before leaving the cage and walking over to the panel. The same man twisted the key again and removed it, which locked the cage. As they left one of the men hit Angel's cage and grinned as she moved away from that side. Once they were gone Jenkins devoured his food.

“I'll be damned.” Sam scoffed as he looked to his supremely shocked sister, “ _They’re just people_.”

“ _That's_ a first.”

Jenkins looked up from his plate, “What’d you expect?”

Sam ignored him, “How often do they feed you?”

“Once a day.” He pointed to the panel, “And they use that thing over there to open the cage.”

Angel ran her eyes over the panel before turning back to him, “Is that the only time you see them?”

“So far. But I’m _waitin’_.”

“For?”

“ _Ned Beatty_ time.”

Sam huffed humorously at the phrase before moving to study his cage, “I think that’s the _least_ of your worries right now.”

“Oh, yeah? Then what do _you_ think they want?”

Sam ignored him as he reached through the top of his cage and grabbed a long metal wire stretching from the top of the pole to the ground. 

Angel watched as he tried to pull it down, “I think _that_ depends on who they are.”

Jenkins scoffed as Sam continued to pull on the wire so it gradually started to detach itself from the pole, “They’re a bunch of _psycho hillbilly rednecks_ , if you ask me. _Lookin’ for love in all the wrong places_.” He looked between them “What were your names, again?”

“ _Angel_ .” She answered as her brother focused on what he was doing, “That's my brother _Sam_.”

Jenkins moved to sit down against his cage, “Why don’t you give it up, Sammy, there’s no way out.”

“ _Don’t. Call. Me. Sammy_!”

He groaned and finally tore the coil down before a small piece of metal fell on the floor also.

Angel moved as close as she could, “What is it?”

Sam picked it up and looked at it, “It’s a bracket.”

“Well, thank God, _a bracket_.” Jenkins sneered in sarcasm, “Now we’ve got ‘em, huh?”

Angel glared, “Hey buddy, I don't see _you_ doing anything productive over there unless you wanna count running your mouth.” 

Suddenly, Jenkins’ cage unlocked itself and opened, “Must’ve been short.” He smiled a little as he climbed out of the cage, “Maybe you knocked somethin’ loose.”

“ _Doubtful_.” Angel shook her head as an off feeling filled her gut, “Jenkins, you should get back in there.”

“ _What_?”

Sam agreed, “This isn’t right.”

Jenkins looked between them with confusion, “Don’t you two wanna get out of here?”

“Yeah.” Sam looked from Angel to Jenkins, “But that was too easy.”

“This might be a _trap_. Get back inside.”

“Look, I’m gonna get out of here, and I’m gonna send help, okay? _Don’t worry_.”

“No, _seriously_ , Jenkins.” Sam pleaded, “ _It's a trap_.”

“Bye, Sammy.” He sent Angel a wink before pushing the door open and leaving, “Bye, Angie.”

“Jenkins!”

  
“ _Great_.” Angel shook her head as his cage slammed shut after he left the room, “So _he's_ dead.” She turned to Sam, “We need a plan, Sammy.” The sound of Jenkins screaming somewhere close by caused them both to stiffen, “Preferably _before_ that becomes us.”

**SECTION TWO**

**_At the Sheriff's Department…_ **

A deputy named Kathleen studied Dean's fake ID as he stood in front of her, “So, what can we do for you, Officer Washington?”

“I’m working a missing persons.”

She raised a brow, “I didn’t know the Jenkins case was being covered by the state police.”

“Oh, no. No, there’s someone else. Two people actually.” He corrected, “Uh, they’re my cousins. We were havin’ a few last night at this bar down by the highway, and I haven’t seen him since.”

“Do your cousins have a drinking problem?”

“Sam drinks two beers and he’s doin’ karaoke.” Dean chuckled making Kathleen smile, “And Angel just had a few.” He shook his head, “No, they weren't drunk. _They were taken_.”

“Alright.” Kathleen nodded and sat down at her computer as Dean followed suit across from her, “What are their names?”

“Winchester.” He answered promptly, “Angel and Sam Winchester.”

“Like the rifle?”

“ _Like the rifle_.”

Kathleen typed Angel's name in the computer first and brought up her lengthy police record. She observed the page before sending Dean a look.

“Angel Winchester’s been in quite the amount of trouble.” She turned back to the computer reading off her file, “ _Grand theft auto, assaulting a police officer, battery_ …” 

Dean nodded stiffly, forgetting they might find that if they ran her name, “Yeah, she's uh… _rough around the edges_. Good person though, just had a hard life.”

She clicked on Sam's link next before moving onto Deans to bring up his record, “Sam Winchester is pretty clean… I’m assuming you know that their brother Dean died in St. Louis _and_ was suspected of murder.”

Dean tried his best to look nonchalant, “Yeah, _Dean_ . Kind of the black sheep of the family. _Handsome_ , though.”

“Uh-huh.” She typed something else and brought up more search results on the computer, “Neither of them are showing up in any current field reports.”

“Oh, I already have a lead. I saw a surveillance camera by the highway.”

“The county traffic cam?”

“Yeah. I’m thinking the camera picked up whatever took him.” He quickly corrected himself at her look, “Or, _whoever_.”

“Well, I have access to the traffic cam footage down at the county works department, but… In the meantime, let’s do this the _right_ way.” She stood and retrieved some paperwork from a filing cabinet, “Why don’t you fill out a missing persons report for each of them and sit tight over here?”

“Officer, look…” Dean took the clipboard she handed him with a frown, “They're family. I kind of- I kind of look out for both of them. You gotta let me go with you.”

“I’m sorry, I can’t do that.”

“Well, tell me something. Your county has its fair share of missing persons. Any of ‘em come back?” Kathleen looked away from him as her eyes became sad and he went on, “Angel and Sam are my responsibility, and they're comin’ back. _I’m bringin’ them back_.”

**_At the County Works Department…_ **

Dean sat outside on a bench as Kathleen came up behind him holding printouts of the camera footage, “Greg.” At her voice, he stood up and turned to her, “I think we’ve got something.” She handed him the printouts, “These traffic cams take an image every three seconds, as part of the Amber Alert program. These images were all taken around the time that your cousins disappeared.”

Dean flipped through the first few with a frown, “This really isn’t what I’m looking for.”

“Just wait- next one.” He turned the page and saw an image of a rusty truck driving, “This one was taken right after Sam and Angel left the bar. Look at the back end of that thing. Now, look at the plates.”

Dean turned another page and saw a close-up image of the truck’s license plates, “The plates look new. It’s probably stolen.”

“So, whoever’s driving that rust bucket must be involved.”

A beat-up van drove by. Dean's interest was instantly caught by it when he heard the engine whining loudly. His conversation with the kid a few days ago was prominent in his mind.

“Hear that engine?”

“Yeah?”

“Kind of a _whining growl_ , isn’t it?”

“Sure…”

Dean stared at the van as it drove away, “I’ll be damned.”

**_With Sam and Angel…_ **

The door to the building creaked open before the two men from before walked through holding guns. Sam and Angel both backed up the furthest their cages would allow them to at their entrance. One of the men pointed his shotgun directly at Sam as the other went to the panel and unlocked Angel's cage. 

Once the door swung open he walked over and motioned his rifle at her, “Get up and c’mere, darlin’.”

“ _Yeah_.” She scoffed as she stood and readied for a fight, “Not happenin’.”

“Now you listen to my brother bitch, or I’ll fill this here boy with buckshot.” The other one pumped the shotgun in his hands and moved closer to Sam's cage, “ _Move_.”

The man in front of her laughed as he stared her down, “You heard ‘em.”

Angel's eyes flashed to Sams who started shaking his head once he realized that she was going to listen, “ _Don't_ , Angel. Stay where you are.”

“It's okay, Sammy.”

He hurried over and jerked the bars of his cell, “Stay away from her!”

“ _Sam_.” She sent him a warning look before she put her hands up and slowly walked out the cage, warily watching the men, “I’ll be fine.” 

Her eyes met her brothers distraught fear stricken ones as the man grabbed her roughly by the hair on the back of her head, “Get your hands off her! I'll kill you, you son of a bitch!”

Angel's hands went to grip the man's as he jerked her painfully towards the exit, his brother now pointing the shotgun at her, “You try anythin’ slick and I start breakin’ bones. You hear me?”

She grimaced and looked at her little brother once more, “I hear you, asshole.”

“Angel!” Sam screamed as they closed the door behind them, “Angel, no!”

Soon the men shoved her through the front door of the main house, “Missy!” The one holding her bellowed out, “Come down here!”

A young girl hurried down the steps. She looked unwashed and had long, uncombed blonde hair that looked very matted up. Missy looked at Angel curiously before turning to her brothers. 

Angel eyed her and the messy house in confusion, “What the fu-”

She hissed in pain when the guy holding her jerked her roughly, “You watch your mouth ‘round my little sister.”

“ _Noted_.” Angel grimaced and tightened her hands around the guys wrist when he did it again, “I'll remember my manners.”

  
“ _Good_.” He looked down to his sister, “Go get mommas bag. Pa wants her washed up before dinner.” He grinned and pulled Angel closer to him, her grimacing as he leaned into her neck and took a deep sniff, “We’re gonna make you look real nice, darlin’.”

**SECTION THREE**

**_In the sheriff's car…_ **

As Kathleen drove she pointed to a passing traffic camera, “Okay, the next traffic cam is fifty miles from here, and the pickup didn’t pass that one, so…”

“So, they must’ve pulled off somewhere.” Dean studied the map before looking out the window, “I don't see any other roads here.”

“A lot of these backwoods properties have their own _private_ roads.”

Dean shifted in his seat becoming annoyed, “ _Great_.”

He stared out the window as new information popped up on Kathleen's computer. She clicked the highlighted item and brought up a page about Dean’s fake ID. The more she read, the more she looked concerned.

“So, _Gregory…_ ”

Dean turned to look at her, “Yeah?”

“I ran your badge number. It’s routine when we’re working a case with state police.” She shrugged, “For accounting purposes and what have you.”

“Mmhmm.”

“And, uh, they just got back to me.” She pulled the car over to the side of the road, “It says here your badge was stolen.” A look of stressed surprise crossed Dean's face, “ _And_ there’s a picture of you.” She turned the computer to Dean so he could see a picture of a heavy African-American man before she took off her seatbelt, “Would you step out of the car, please?”

“ _Look, look, look_ .” At his pleading she stopped, “If you wanna arrest me, _that’s fine_ . I’ll cooperate, I swear. But, first, _please_ let me find Angel and Sam.”

“I don’t even know who you are. _Or_ if these _Sam and Angel_ people are actually missing.”

Dean pleaded with her, “Look into my eyes and tell me if I’m lying about this.”

“ _Identity theft_ ? You’re _impersonating_ an _officer_.”

“Here’s the thing. When we were young… Angel pretty much pulled us from a fire. And ever since then, the three of us have looked out for each other. _We’re responsible for each other_ . It’s our job to keep eachother safe. I’m just afraid if we don’t find them fast-” His voice broke with emotion and he had to take a second to collect himself, “ _Please_. They're my family.”

Her jaw set as she looked away from him, “ _I’m sorry_ . You’ve given me no choice. _I have to take you in_.” 

She glanced at her visor where a picture of her and another young man smiling was clipped. Emotion flooded her as she became sad and sighed, defeated.

“ _After_ we find Angel and Sam Winchester.”

As she fastened her seatbelt Dean looked at her in confusion.

**_Later on…_ **

Dean and Kathleen walked back to the car, coffee in hand as Dean looked her over, “Hey, Officer? I don’t mean to press my luck-”

“Your luck is _so_ pressed.”

“Right…” He nodded, continuing on anyway, “I was wondering- why are you helping me out? Why don’t you just lock me up?”

“My brother, Riley, disappeared three years ago. A lot like Angel and Sam. We searched for him, but- _nothing_.” Her eyes became sad once more, “I know what it’s like to feel responsible for someone, and for them-” She cut herself off when she felt the tears building, motioning for him to get in the car, “Come on. Let’s keep at it.”

**_At the edge of the forest…_ **

As Kathleen drove, something caught Deans eye, “Wait, wait- pull over here. Pull over.” She did as told and they both got out of the car and walked toward the forest, “It’s the first turn-off I’ve seen so far.”

Kathleen headed through it, “You stay here, I’ll check it out.”

“ _No way_.”

“ _Hey_ .” She stopped him, “You’re a _civilian_ . And a _felon_ , I think. I’m not taking you with me.”

“You’re not goin’ without me.”

“Alright…” Kathleen sighed, “You promise you won’t get involved? You’ll let me handle it?”

“Yeah.” Dean shrugged, “I promise.”

She extended her hand, “Shake on it.”

Dean brought his hand out to shake hers and Kathleen placed a set of handcuffs on his wrist.

“Oh, _come on_ .” Soon Kathleen had him handcuffed to her squad car door handle as she walked away, “This is _ridiculous_ . Kathleen, I _really_ think you’re gonna need my help.”

“I’ll manage.” She promptly locked the door as she continued on her way, “ _Thank you_.”

Dean groaned and shook his wrist, “ _I gotta start carrying paper clips_.”

**_Inside the Benders house…_ **

At this point, Angel had been changed into a white nightgown, chained by her wrists and hung from a meat hook on the ceiling of a back room. She was high enough off the ground to where her feet hovered just above the floor. They buckled her ankles with chains that were bolted into the floor so her legs were spread and she couldn't kick out. The position was extremely uncomfortable as it put strain on all of her muscles but she tried not to focus on that. Instead she stayed quiet as she watched the two men that kept looking at her like a piece of meat.

During her time listening to them talk and bicker, she learned the brother in charge was named Jared, and the other was Lee. As they changed and chained her, they got a little handsy and knocked her around when she fought them but nothing further. Missy, the little girl, stayed in the room watching everything closely.

“She sure is prettier ‘en the last.” Lee roughly grabbed her face, giving her a light slap when she ripped it out of his grasp, “Pa’s gonna have fun. Think he’ll let me have a go this time?”

Jared collected her discarded clothes and put them in a duffle bag, “If you don't piss ‘em off.” 

When he started walking out of the room worry filled Angel. They were all crazy psycho paths, _including Missy_ , but she could tell _Jared_ was the one in charge. He was also the one that was the _least_ physical because he was focused on ‘ _saving her for Pa_ ’. Him leaving her alone with Lee set her on edge even more.

Jared turned back to his brother in the doorway, “I’ll be right back. Don’t do nuthin’ to her that's gonna leave a mark.”

After he was out of sight, Lee looked to Missy and whipped his head to side. The little girl looked at Angel once more before grinning at her and running out of sight. As he turned around, Angel struggled with her chains to no avail. 

“Didn't your boss tell you to stay the hell away from me, _Hillbilly Bob_?”

“He aint my _boss_ .” He grinned sickly, coming to stand so close to her face she could smell his rancid breath, “And as long as I don't leave no bruises on your face, _Pa won't care_.”

Angel angrily whipped her head back and forward so it collided with his face. She ignored the pain in her head, instead focusing on the fact that she busted his nose open.

“Ah!” He grabbed his face as he stumbled back in pain, “You fuckin’ bitch! You broke it!”

“ _Touch me_ and I swear to _God_ I will burn your nuts off and shove them down your throat you freak!” 

Fire blazed in his eyes as he swung his fist back and collided with her face. He nailed her in the cheek and split her face open causing blood to pour down her face. Darkness danced across her vision but she shook it off when she heard loud knocking at the front door.

Angel was about to scream for help when Lee roughly covered her mouth with his bloodied hand and put a blade to her face, “ _Make a squeak and I cut your tongue out, bitch_.”

She quited as her eyes flashed to the blade but then kept his glare with a hateful look of her own as she tried to listen to what was happening at the door.

Outside, Kathleen knocked on the front door again, “Hello? Anyone home?” When Missy answered the door and walked outside, Kathleen studied the unwashed and unkempt little girl, “Hi. Who are you?”

Missy walked closer to her and touched the badge on her jacket as she examined it, “Who are _you_?”

“I’m, uh, I’m _Kathleen_. I’m a deputy. What’s your name?”

“ _Missy_.”

“Missy. That’s a pretty name.” Kathleen nodded as she smiled politely, “Missy, is your mom home?”

“She’s _dead_.”

“I’m sorry…” Kathleen frowned, “What about your dad?”

Missy shook her head, “And my new momma is busy with my brother.”

“Oh… well, can I come in for a minute? Maybe talk to one of them?” Missy shook her head again before she moved back towards the door, “I just want you to look at a picture.” Kathleen took a picture of Sam and Angel smiling together from her pocket and showed it to Missy, “Have you seen these two?” Missy took it, bringing it closer to her face, “Look at that picture.” When Missy looked up and smiled wickedly, Kathleen smiled in return, “What?”

“ _That’s_ gonna hurt.”

Kathleen turned around and saw a tall, equally unwashed older man standing behind her. He quickly hit her over the head with a shovel, and she fell to the ground, unconscious.

Pa put the shovel down and looked to his daughter, “Missy, sweetheart, go tell your brothers I wanna see ‘em.”

She grinned, “Yes, Daddy.”

**_Back at the sheriff's car…_ **

Dean looked around for something to unlock the handcuffs with before noticing the antenna of the car. He reached for it, but it was just out of reach. In the distance he heard the familiar screech of the pickup truck.

He stretched further, “ _Son of a bitch_.”

As the sound of the vehicle neared closer and closer Dean stretched farther out until he could finally grab and unscrew the antenna. When it came loose and fell to the ground, Dean hurriedly picked it up, unlocked his cuffs and hid out of sight.

In the woods, Jared and Lee stopped their truck outside of the gate before getting out and unlocking it. Lees nose was still busted and crooked as they began walking towards the clearing. Once they reached it and saw the squad car they laughed.

Lee whistled, “I’ve never seen him so angry before.”

“We ain't never been followed by the police before.” Jared shook his head, “Or maybe it's cause you roughed up his new toy.”

Lee scoffed as he unlocked the car with Kathleen's keys, “She broke my nose!” 

“Pa’ll get ‘er back for it.”

**_Back at the house…_ **

Angel's eyes snapped to the door at the sound of another man, “You busted up my son real good, darlin’.”

Her eyes ran over his dirty appearance, “Don't any of you know what a _shower_ is?” She grimaced at the sight of his rotting teeth when he walked deeper into the room, “Or a _toothbrush_ for that matter?”

“Lee said you had a mouth.” He laughed as he stopped in front of her, “We’ll see how smart you are after _i'm_ done with ya.”

“You know…” Angel flipped her bloodied hair out of her eyes, “I can appreciate a good slasher fic just as much as the next, but uh… Don't you guys think you're taking this whole _Letherface_ thing a little too far? I mean, it's been done a _thousand_ times chief.” She tried to jerk her body from him when his hand slid under her nightgown, “ _Don't_ touch me!”

His hand came up and grabbed her around the throat, choking her, “Oh, im gonna do a whole lot more ‘in _touch_ ya.” His grip tightened painfully, “I’m gon _break_ ya. _And when I do_ ? You gon give me a _grandson_ , darlin’.”

**_In the barn…_ **

Kathleen laid unconscious in a cage. She wore only her white shirt and pants now and her hair was down covering her face. As she came too, she groaned and massaged her head.

Sam watched her closely from his cage, “You alright?”

She looked over at the sound of his voice and recognition filled her eyes, “Are you Sam Winchester?”

Surprise filled him, “Yeah.”

“Your, uh…” She grimaced as she felt her head again, “Your cousin’s looking for you and your sister.”

“Thank God.” Relief filled him, “Where is he?”

“I, uh- _I cuffed him to my car_.”

Sam sighed heavily just before the door to the barn opened. Dean entered but they couldn't see him. He observed the barn in disgust before coming across Sam in his cage.

“Sam?” He rushed over to the cage as Sam smiled, “Are you hurt?”

He shook his head, “No.”

Dean banged on his cage in relief, “ _Damn_ , it’s good to see you.” His eyes traveled around Sam's cage before he turned to look at the other ones, “Where's Angel?”

Before Sam could answer, Kathleen caught Deans attention, “How did you get out of the cuffs?”

Dean turned, “Oh, _I know a trick or two_ .” She stared at him in confusion as he turned back to study the locks on Sam's cage, “Alright… _Oh_ , these locks look like they’re gonna be a _bitch_.”

Sam pointed to the control panel, “There’s some kind of automatic control right there.”

As Dean went to check the control panel he panicked, “Angels not in here. Where the hell is she?”

“They took her.” Sam looked pained, “They had us in different cages and they had guns. I couldn't stop them.”

Anger filled him, “Have you seen ‘em?”

“Yeah.” He scoffed, “Dude, they’re just _people_.”

Shock filled Dean, “And they jumped _both_ of you?” Sam's jaw tensed as Dean raised a brow, “You guys must be gettin’ a little rusty there, kiddo.” He walked over to the control panel and started trying different buttons, “What do they want?”

“I don’t know…” Sam shook his head “They let Jenkins go, but that was some sort of trap. Then they took Angel but… it was _weird_ . It wasn't like they wanted to _kill_ her. Because why not do what they did with Jenkins? They wanted her for a reason. None of this makes any sense to me.”

“Well, that’s the point. You know, _with our usual playmates_ , there’s _rules_ , there’s _patterns_ . But with _people_ , they’re just _crazy_.”

“See anything else out there?”

“Uh, he has about a dozen junked cars hidden out back. Plates from all over, so I’m thinkin’ when they take someone, they take their car, too.”

That caught Kathleen's attention, “Did you see a black Mustang out there? About ten years old?”

“Yeah, actually, I did.” Sadness rocked through her as she looked away, “Your brother’s?” At her nod he frowned, “I’m sorry.” He paused before turning back to Sam, “How many we talkin here?”

“Two at least.” Sam shook his head, “But i wouldn't doubt there's a different one that runs the show.” At the look in his eye Sam shook his head, “Get us out before you run in there guns blazing, Dean. She's been gone for a long time and we dont know whats going on.”

“Yeah. Yeah, I know.” He pointed to the control panel, “This thing takes a key. Where is it?”

Sam frowned, “I don’t know.”

“Alright, then i gotta go in by myself.”

“Hey.” Dean stopped and turned around, “ _Be careful_.”

“Yeah.”

**SECTION FOUR**

**_In the kitchen…_ **

Pa now had Angel, who was unconscious, tied to a long bloody table in his kitchen. Her hands were tied above her head to one side and once again her legs were spread apart and secured so she couldn't kick out. A dirty rag was tied tightly around her mouth and between her teeth so she couldn't talk. Her face and head were bloody and her neck was red and bruised as his hand print was starting to come into focus.

As she woke up she painfully opened her eyes and tried to clear the blood that blurred her vision. When she tried to move she realized she was still bound but not how she last remembered. Her eyes widened and her breathing sped up as she saw Pa moving to her side with a knife.

Downstairs, Dean entered the house from the dark basement. He turned on his flashlight and started to look around. The room was filled with shelves of jars and bottles, which contained various body parts. Dean looked at a container filled with something he couldn't even recognize and grimaced.

“ _Yikes_ .” He kept searching the room, “ _Angie_? Can you hear me?”

He stopped when he came across a wall full of Polaroid pictures. Each photo showed Jared and Lee standing next to a dead body. His eyes zeroed in on them holding Jenkins’ corpse. He carefully scanned the rest of them looking for his sister's face. When he didn't find it he took a step back in relief.

“I’ll say it again- _demons_ I get. _People are crazy_.”

A strangled scream coming from upstairs instantly had Deans attention. He moved upstairs quietly but as quickly as he could, following the sounds until it led him into the living room. A record played in the background, a dark contrast to the pained screams emanating from the kitchen. As Dean neared the opening of the kitchen he bumped into a windchime made of human bones and grimaced at the sight.

Angel screamed through her gag again as Pa raked a jagged knife over her bloodied torso. Pa laughed as he leaned over her, enjoying every minute of her agony.

Angel grunted from the pain as she glared up at the man, “ _Screw. You_.”

Pa laughed at her muffled insult before starting in on her again. Anger struck Dean at the sight. Turning he saw a wooden pole with a giant nail sticking out of it leaning against the wall of the other room. Swiftly he crossed the room and grabbed it, taking note that the keys he needed were sitting in a tray on a table next to a jar full of teeth. As he was about to turn back to the kitchen, he heard the floor creak behind him. Turning quickly, he got ready to strike but stopped when he saw Missy standing there with her hands up at his attack.

“ _Shh_.” Dean lowered his weapon and shuffled closer to her, “It’s okay. I’m not gonna hurt you.”

Missy held up a small knife, “ _I know_.” She threw the knife at him and pinned his jacket against the wall, “Daddy!”

Dean struggled to get the knife out of the wall, a little in shock, “Jeez!”

“Daddy! Daddy!”

Just as he removed it, Lee came running from downstairs. Jared, coming from the other side of the house, grabbed Dean under his arms as Lee walked towards them but Dean jumped up and kicked him several feet back. Jared threw Dean into the wall, effectively separating him from the knife. Lee ran towards him but Dean grabbed him first and pushed him to the ground. He then punched Jared, but got thrown into the wall again by Lee. 

As all three of them stood, Dean pointed to Jared, “I’m gonna kick _your_ ass first.” Then to Lee, “Then _yours_.”

Pa quietly came up behind Dean and hit him over the head with a frying pan. Dean fell to the floor, unconscious. 

**_In the living room…_ **

The Benders are crowded around Dean, who was sitting in a chair with his hands tied behind his back, watching as he started to wake up, groaning.

Lee turned to Pa, “ _Come on_. Let us hunt him.”

“Yeah, this one’s a fighter. Just like the blonde.” Jared grinned, “Sure would be fun to hunt since we can't hunt her.”

Pa laughed before it was interrupted by Dean scoffing, “Oh, you gotta be kiddin’ me. _That’s_ what this is about? You- _you yahoos hunt people_?”

Pa took a seat in front of him, “You ever _killed_ before?”

“Wha-” Dean chuckled as his eyes went behind them to see if he could see Angel in the kitchen, “Well, that depends on what you mean.”

“I’ve hunted _all my life_ . Just like my _father, his before him_ . I’ve hunted _deer_ and _bear-_ I even got a _cougar_ once. Huh boys?” Pa grinned sickly from his sons back to Dean, “But the _best_ hunt…” He leaned closer to Dean, “ _Is human_ . Oh, there’s _nothin’_ like it. _Holdin’ their life in your hands. Seein’ the fear in their eyes just before they go dark_ . Makes you feel _powerful, alive_.”

Dean glared, “ _You’re a sick puppy_.”

Pas eyes go wide as he stands, “We give ‘em a weapon. _Give ‘em a fightin’ chance_ . It’s kind of like… _our tradition,_ passed down father to son. Which is why we took that pretty blonde.”

Jared smoothed Missy's hair down as she moved in front of Dean to sit down where Pa was, “That pretty blonde is gon make me a _daddy_.” He grinned sickly showing his yellow teeth, “So we can pass on the tradition.”

Dean glared as he struggled with his rope, “The hell she is. You aren't _touching_ my sister.”

“That ain't up to you, boy. She's continuing my line _and_ raisin my daughter.” Pa dismissed before continuing as he stood close to Dean's side and glowered down at him, “We only take one or two a year. Never enough to bring the law down, _we never been that sloppy_.”

“Yeah, well…” Dean scoffed, “Don’t sell yourself short. You’re _plenty_ sloppy.”

“So, that blondes your blood. You with that pretty cop then?” Pa bent down and got face to face with him as Missy looked up at her brother with a smile, “Are _you_ a cop? _Your blood one_?”

Dean chuckled before meeting his eye, “If I tell you, you promise not to make me into an _ashtray_?”

At Pa’s angry look, Lee lunged forward and punched Dean in the face.

Pa spoke to Dean as he walked to the fireplace and picked up a hot poker, “Only reason I don’t let my boys take you right here and now is that there’s somethin’ I need to know.”

“Yeah? How ‘bout _it’s not nice to marry your sister_?”

“Tell me- _any of the cops gonna come lookin’ for you_?”

“Oh, _eat me_ .” He raised his brows, “No, no, wait- _you actually might_.”

Jared walked over to Dean and held his head in place as Pa knelt down and brought the poker to Deans eye level, “You think this is _funny_ ? _You brought this down on my family_ . You wanna play games? _We’ll play some games_ .” He looked to his boys, “Looks like we’re gonna have a hunt tonight after all, boys.” He grinned down at Dean, “And _you_ get to pick the animal. _The boy or the cop_?”

“Okay, wait, wait-” Dean grunted from Jareds grip as a thousand things raced through his head, “Look, nobody’s comin’ for me, alright? _It’s just us_.”

“ _You_ don’t choose, _I will_.”

Pa placed the hot poker on Dean's shirt and he screamed in pain until it was removed.

“You son of a bitch!”

Pa placed the poker barely an inch from Deans eye, “Next time, _I’ll take an eye_.”

“Alright, the guy, the guy! Take the guy!”

Jared roughly let go of Dean's head, and Pa moved the poker. He took a key from around his neck and handed it to Lee.

“Lee, go do it.” He jerked the key back so his son looked at him, “ _Don’t_ let him out, though. _Shoot him in the cage_.” 

As Lee walked out Dean looked up at the old man, “What? I thought you said you were gonna _hunt_ him. _You were gonna give him a chance_.”

“ _Lee_ .” Pa called after staring at Dean evilly, “When you’re done with the boy- _shoot the bitch cop, too_.” Lee nodded and left with his rifle as Pa turned to Jared, “Go get the blonde. Better clean this mess up before any more cops come runnin’ out here.”

Pa looked down and smiled when he met Dean's scared eyes

**SECTION FIVE**

**_In the barn…_ **

Lee entered and walked over to the control panel, inserted the key and twisted it.

Sam tensed from the back of his cage, “What are you doing?”

The door to his cage unlocked and Lee walked towards him. Sam noticed the bracket on the floor and grabbed it just as Lee opened the cage door and aimed his gun.

Kathleen yelled trying to distract the man, “Hey!”

Sam attacked as Lee fired and missed. Soon the two of them are both out of the cage and on the ground. Sam was on top of Lee as he grabbed the gun and hit Lee in the face with it three times. Lee collapsed on the ground and Sam tried to fire the gun, but it jammed.

**_Back in the living room…_ **

As Jared moved towards the kitchen Dean struggled in his chair, “Dont touch her you son of a bitch!”

They all froze at the sound of a gunshot followed by another.

Dean struggled as he became even more panic struck, “You hurt my brother or my sister, I’ll kill you, I swear. I’ll kill you all. _I will kill you all_!”

Pa stood and walked towards the open front door, “Lee!” After a few seconds of no response or movement from the barn, Pa turned and looked directly at Jared who stood at the entrance of the kitchen, “Jared, you come with me. Missy, you _watch_ him, now.”

Jared grabbed two rifles and handed one off to Pa before they both left. Missy remained next to Dean as she held a knife dangerously close to his eye. As Lee and Jared entered the barn they kept their gun raised as they looked around.

“Lee! Where are ya?” Pa called, “Lee!” He stopped when he found Lee unconscious and locked in Sam's cage, “Damn it, Jared, get the lights!”

Jared moved over to the light switch and pushed it up but the barn remained dark, “They must have blown the fuses.”

Pa tried the control panel, but it was broken. They moved into another room of the barn as Sam hid behind a bale of hay. Jared looked around in one area of the room, while Pa climbed a ladder leading to a balcony. Kathleen moved to a cabinet, unseen, and opened it, but when she heard a noise and stopped. Jared also heard something and walked to the cabinet, standing to face it. He fired his rifle several times at the doors, but Kathleen didn't come out. When Jared opened the cabinet, he found nothing inside but tools. He looked around the barn, when, suddenly, Kathleen fell on top of his back. She wrapped her arms around his neck and wrestled with him, before being knocked to the ground. Meanwhile, Pa chased after Sam. He fired his rifle twice, but Sam escaped. 

While Kathleen is on the ground, Jaren aimed his gun at her, “You stupid bitch.”

He got ready to shoot her, but Sam entered, “Hey!”

Jared turned and fired at Sam but Sam quickly dodged it. At the same moment, Pa walked in behind Sam and got hit with the bullet instead. He fell to the ground as Jared cocked the gun and turned around. Sam appeared behind him and grabbed the gun, hitting Jared in the face with the rifle several times until he collapsed, unconscious. 

Sam placed Jared in Kathleen's cage and closed the door. He walked to the control panel and locked the cage before making his way over to Kathleen, who was standing over Pa, with her gun raised.

“I’ll watch this one. You go ahead.” Sam stared at her motionless, “Go ahead.”

Reluctantly Sam left as Pa growled up at her, “You hurt my family, _I’m gonna bleed you, bitch_.”

Kathleen spoke through emotion as tears fell down her face, “You _killed_ my _brother_.”

“Your brother?” He laughed cruelly, “ _Now_ I see.”

“Just tell me _why_.”

Pa smiled, “ _Because it’s fun_.”

He cackled as Kathleen looked at him horrified. Angrily she fired the gun into his chest, killing him.

**_Back in the house…_ **

Angel laid on the table tensely as she listened for any movement in the house. It seemed like her heart was pumping so loud she couldn't hear anything else. A creak at the kitchen entrance had her panicking and struggling with the ropes around her wrists. She jumped when two men came to her side but instantly relaxed when she saw it was her brothers. Dean instantly took his jacket off and covered her with it before they cut her loose. 

When her hands were free she took the gag out of her mouth, “Thank god you guys are alive.” She took them in for a tight hug, “Where the hell are those psychos?”

“Locked up in the cages.” Sam explained as they helped her off the table, “Kids in the closet.”

Dean looked down at her, “Are you okay? They didn't- I mean they said they were going to-”

“No, no.” Angel quickly shook her head when she understood what he was trying to ask, “Those hillbilly _freaks_ wanted to breed me like some farm animal but they didn't get the chance.” She grimaced and held her cut up side as she walked with them, noticing their worried looks, “I'll be fine.” She frowned, “It could've been worse, _trust me_. I don't think I was the first one.” She shook her head, “They had like a whole room set up for me.”

As the boys helped her walk out the front door and down the porch steps they met up with Kathleen who was leaving the barn.

“Where’s the girl?”

“Locked her in a closet.” Dean answered, “What about the dad?”

She paused for a second, “Shot. Trying to escape.”

The boys and Kathleen all exchanged a look before Angel spoke, “ _Good_ . He was the worst one. _Fuck that guy_.”

Kathleen smirked a little at that before handing a duffle bag over to her, “Think these are your clothes. Found them in the barn.”

Angel nodded to her happily,“Thanks.” 

After Angel managed to get out of the bloody nightgown and into her jeans and tshirt she limped along with her brother's help, “Can we leave this inbred shit hole now?”

“Yeah.” Dean frowned as they started to walk, “Small problem… I think the car’s at the police station.”

_From behind them, Kathlee listened to the woman on her walkie-talkie, “Backup unit en route to your location.”_

She quickly caught up to them, “So, state police and the FBI are gonna be here within the hour. They’re gonna wanna talk to you.” She looked between all three of their worried expressions, “I suggest that you’re all _long gone_ by then.”

“Thanks.” Dean nodded sincerely as he studied her for a beat, “Hey, listen, I don’t mean to press our luck, but we’re kind of in the middle of nowhere. Think we could catch a ride?”

She furrowed her eyebrows at him, “ _Start walking_ .” She looked between Sam and Angel next, “ _Duck_ if you see a squad car.”

“Sounds great to me.” Sam nodded before helping Angel along, “Thanks.”

“Listen, uh…” At Dean's voice they both turned to see him giving Kathleen a sorrowful look, “I’m sorry about your brother.”

“Thank you.” Tears began filling her eyes, “It was really hard not knowing what happened to him. I thought it would be easier once I knew the truth- but it isn’t really.” She paused as she looked down, “Anyway, you should go.”

The three of them nod before walking away, Kathleen watching them leave, close to tears. As they walked down the road Dean sent Angel and Sam a look of warning.

“ _Never_ do that again.”

Sam shared a look with Angel before turning it on Dean, “Do _what_?”

“Go missin’ like that.”

Angel grinned up at him, “Awe, were you worried about us, little b?”

“All I’m sayin’ is, either one of you vanish like that again, I’m not lookin’ for ya.”

“ _Yeah_ , right.”

“ _Sure_ , you won’t.”

“ _I'm not_.”

Sam chuckled, “ _So_ , you got sidelined by a _thirteen-year-old girl_ , huh?”

“Oh, _shut up_.”

“Just sayin’, ‘ _gettin’ rusty there, kiddo_.’”

Dean chuckled at that, “Shut up.”

The three of them chuckled as they continued walking down the dark road.


	10. Shadow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While investigating a mysterious death in Chicago, Angel, Sam and run into Meg, who is thrilled to see Sam again. The three soon discover Meg is behind the murders and attempt to catch her.

**DISCLAIMER:** I only own my character! Anything you might recognize is courtesy of the CW.

  
**WARNING:** Some of these episodes/chapters may contain graphic violence, cursing, mentions of suicide or assault and other triggering aspects. Proceed with caution please.

Sam, Dean and Angel stopped the impala across the street from an apartment building and got out. All three of them were dressed as employees of the alarm system company. Dean took out a toolbox from the trunk of the car, and they proceeded towards the apartment.

“Alright.” Sam pointed, “This is the place.”

“You know, I’ve gotta say… Dad, Angel and me did just _fine_ without these stupid costumes. I feel like a high school drama dork.” Dean smirked as they walked as something came to his mind, “What was that play that you did, Sam? What was it– _Our Town_.”

“I remember that.” Angel snapped her fingers and grinned, “Awe, Sammy! You were good, it was cute.”

Sam rolled his eyes, “ _Look_ , you two wanna pull this off or not?”

“I’m just sayin’, these outfits cost _hard-earned_ money, okay?”

“ _Hard earned money_?” Angel laughed, “Dean, we paid for these things with someone's else’s credit card.”

Dean looked at her pointedly, “You think credit card fraud is _easy_?”

“Fairly, _yeah_.”

**_In the apartment building…_ **

The three walked down the hall with the landlady as Sam thanked her, “Thanks for letting us look around.”

“Well, the police said they were done with the place, so….” She shrugged, “You'll have to work around the electrician. He's here as well.”

Angel sent a look to her brother as they all stopped in front of the apartment door, “The electrician?” 

She explained as she knocked on the door and led them in, “Yeah, he showed up a few minutes before you three.”

Dean shut the apartment door, taking note that the chain on the door was broken. He followed Sam and Angel into the living room, where spots of blood covered the carpet and a man stood smirking at them as he held a roll of duct tape. A man Dean recognized as a fellow hunter and little more than friend to Angel, _Asa Fox_.

The landlady turned and looked to the three of them, “You guys said you were with the alarm company?”

Dean nodded, sending a look to Asa to follow along, “That’s right.”

“Well, no offense, but your alarm’s about as useful as _boobs on a man_.” She motioned, “This is the electrician… uh what did you say your name was, sweetie?”

“ _Asa_.” He shook all their hands before sending a wink to Angel, “Nice to meet you.”

“You too, buddy.” Dean said before he and Sam shared a look with Angel who shrugged, “We’re here to see what went wrong and stop it from happening again.”

Sam turned to the landlady, “Now, ma’am, _you_ found the body?” She nodded, “Right after it happened?”

“No. Few days later. Meredith’s work called- _she hadn’t shown up_ . I knocked on the door. That’s when I noticed the _smell_.”

“Any windows open?” Angel asked, “Or any sign of a break-in?”

“ _No_. Windows were locked, front door was bolted. Chain was on the door, we had to cut it just to get in.”

“And the alarm was still on?”

“ _Like I said_ , bang-up job your company’s doin’.” She scoffed, “Must be stumped if they need to send _three employees and an electrician_ out here.”

“Mmhmm.” Dean motioned, “You see any overturned furniture, broken glass, signs of struggle?”

“Everything was in perfect condition- _except Meredith_.”

Asas brow raised, “What condition was that?”

“Meredith was all over. _In pieces_ . The guy who killed her must have been some kind of a _whackjob_ . But I tell you, _if I didn’t know any better_ , I’d have said a wild _animal_ did it.”

The four hunters looked at each other before Sam turned back to her, “Ma’am, do you mind if we take some time? Give this place a once-over?”

“Oh, well, _go right ahead_. Join the electrician. Knock yourself out.”

After she left Angel and the boys got their EMF readers out and spread around the apartment.

“No need.” Asa dismissed them, “There’s no EMF, this wasn’t a ghost.”

Angel smirked, “Not that I’m not happy to see you Ace, but uh what are you doing here?”

“C’mon… A killer walks in and out of the apartment- _no weapons, no prints, nothin_ ’.” He grinned, “Sounds like a huntin’ job to me and I was only an hour out of town so i figured i’d check it out.”

“The minute I found that article, I _knew_ this was our kind of gig.” Sam agreed, “Hope you don’t mind the company.”

“For Angel? _Nah_.” He grinned over to the blonde who was shaking her head and smiling before turning back to Dean and Sam, “I've been wanting to meet the infamous little brothers anyway.”

“Dean, Sam, this is Asa…” Angel introduced, “He's my… We’re…”

“Seeing each other.” He shook their hands, looking to her oddly, “When we _can_ anyway…”

Dean grimaced a little, “Guess that's kind of our fault…”

“It's fine, Dean.” Angel dismissed, awkwardly and quickly changing the subject, “You said you talked to the cops?”

“Uh, yeah.” Dean smirked, “I spoke to _Amy_ , a, uh, _charming, perky_ officer of the law.”

“Yeah?” Sam motioned, “What’d you find out?”

Dean sighed dreamily, “Well, she’s a Sagittarius. She _loves_ tequila, I mean- _wow_. Oh, and she’s got this little tattoo-”

Angel rolled her eyes, “Move on, Dean.”

“Yeah.” He cleared his throat, avoiding her and Sam's eye, “Uh, nothin’ we don’t already know. Except for one thing they’re keepin’ out of the papers.”

Asa asked, “What's that?”

“Meredith’s heart was missing.”

Sam and the rest of them stood stunned, “Her _heart_?” He nodded, “So, what do you think did it to her?”

“Even though the landlady said it looked like an animal attack I've ruled out Werewolves.” Asa explained, “The lunar cycle isn't right.”

“Yeah…” Sam agreed, “ _Plus_ , if it _was_ a creature, it would’ve left some kind of trace. It’s probably a spirit.”

“Not so sure about that either, but i think we've got something _here_ .” Asa motioned to the blood on the carpet and took out duct tape, “I was about to see _what_ when you three came in.” 

Bending down he used the masking tape to connect each pool of blood. When he finished, the pieces of tape formed an unusual symbol, one that none of them could pinpoint.

He studied it before looking up at the Winchesters, “Ever see that symbol before?”

“Nope.”

“No.”

“Never.”

“Me neither.”

**_At the local bar…_ **

“So…” Asa studied Angel from beside her at the table, “It’s been a few weeks since we talked.”

“I know…” She frowned, “I’m sorry, Ace. I decided to take a few _personal_ days after the whole _Hillbilly Hell_ thing.”

“Which is understandable.” Asa nodded as he took her hand, “How are you doin’ with all that anyway? And with everything else?”

“I’m fine… I’m just worried about my Dad and there's been a lot happening with my brothers.” She shook her head, “I've been a little _stressed_ , I guess.”

“Anything i can help with?”

“Not really, its something we have to deal with ourselves.” She winked, “But i appreciate the offer.”

“Well, regardless of everything else I’m glad you're here and I’m glad we’re working this together.” He squeezed her hand, “I’ve missed you.”

“I’ve missed you too, Ace.”

Angel smiled, she did miss him and she was glad to see him but everything going on with Sam and her dad was stressful enough. She didn’t want him involved in it. She didn’t want him hurt.

As Dean flirted with the attractive bartender, Sam entered and looked around. Dean noticed him, took one last drink, and then smiled at the bartender before he left. They all met up at Asa and Angels table in the back.

“Alright.” Dean sat, “I talked to the bartender.”

Sam looked up from their fathers journal, “Did you get anything?”

Angel gave him a warning eye, “ _Besides_ her number, hornball?”

“ _Dude_ , I’m a professional. I’m offended that you would think like that.” 

Angel and Sam gave him a knowing look as Asa looked on in entertainment.

Dean chuckled and held up a napkin that had a phone number scribbled on it, “Alright, _yeah_.” 

“You mind doin’ a little bit of thinking with your _upstairs_ brain, Dean?”

“I agree with Sam.”

“Give the kid a break, Angie.” Asa shifted her, winking, “He's just having some fun.”

“Yeah, _Angie_ .” Dean teased earning a glare so he moved on, “Look, there’s nothing to find out. I mean, Meredith worked here, she waited tables, everyone here was her friend. Everybody said she was normal. She didn’t _do_ or _say_ anything weird before she died, so…” He shrugged, “What about that symbol, you find anything?”

“Nope, nothing.” Sam shook his head, “It wasn’t in Dad’s journal or in any of the usual books.”

“That just means we gotta dig a little deeper, Kid.” Asa said as he took a drink, “It's gotta have a history.”

“Well, there was a first victim, right?” Dean asked, “Before Meredith?”

“Right, yeah.” Sam pulled out a newspaper clipping concerning the first death, “His name was, uh- his name was _Ben Swardstrom_ . Last month he was found mutilated in his town house. Same deal- _the door was locked, the alarm was on_.”

Asa studied the clipping, “Is there any connection between the two of them?”

“Not that I can tell- I mean, not _yet_ , at least. Ben was a _banker_ , Meredith was a _waitress_. They never met, never knew anyone in common- they were practically from different worlds.”

“Let's take a breather and recap then…” Angel started then frowned as they all silently looked around at each other blank faced, “Yeah, we've got nothing…”

Dean smirked, “Hey, we got the bartender’s phone number.”

Something across the room seemed to catch Sam's eye. Without a word, he got up and walked away from the table as the three others watched him curiously.

Dean turned, “Sam?” When he didn't turn back around, Dean turned back to Asa and Angel, “Something I said?”

Angel craned her neck to see Sam reach another table where a young woman with short blonde hair was sitting. He put his hand on her shoulder, and she turned around, a pleasantly surprised look on her face.

“Uh, no…” Angel motioned, “I think he knows he or something.”

Asa looked as well, “Old girlfriend?”

“No… The one from Stanford is dead and we would recognize if he met her on the road.” Angel sighed when Dean took off after them at the sight of the girl, “I'll be back.”

Dean and Angel came up behind him, Angel unable to reach and stop Dean from interrupting.

Sam gave her a curious look, “I thought you were goin’ to California?”

“Oh, I did.” She grinned, “ _I came, I saw, I conquered_ . Oh, _and_ I met _what’s-his-name_ , something _Michael Murray_ at a bar.”

“ _Who_?”

“Oh, it doesn’t matter.” She waved, “Anyway, the whole scene got old, so I’m living here for a while.” 

Dean cleared his throat, but he was promptly ignored by the both of them. Angel hit him in the arm and tried dragging him away but he stayed put.

Sam continued to look at her oddly, “You’re from Chicago?”

“No, Massachusetts- _Andover_ . Gosh, Sam, what are the _odds_ we’d run into each other?”

“Yeah, I know…” Sam's face still read shock and confusion, “I thought I’d never see you again.”

“Well, I’m glad you were wrong.” 

Sam nodded with a smile as Dean cleared his throat again, even louder this time.

The blonde turned to him and scoffed, “ _Dude_ , cover your mouth.”

Dean's eyes became wide at that as Sam turned, finally noticing he and Angel were standing there, “Yeah, um, I’m sorry, Meg.” He motioned between the two of them, “This is, uh- this is my brother, _Dean_ and my sister _Angel_.”

Surprise filled her face, “ _They_ are Angel and Dean?”

Dean grinned at the recognition as Angel regarded the woman with an eyebrow raise.

Sam smiled, “Yeah.”

Dean shifted forward with a smirk, “So, you’ve heard of me?”

“Oh, yeah. I’ve heard of you. _Both_ of you.” She glared between them, “ _Nice-_ the way two you treat your brother like _luggage_.”

Dean's eyes widened yet again, “Uh, sorry?”

“ _Excuse_ me, lady?” Angel glared at her as she crossed her arms, “What the hell does that mean?”

“Why don’t you two let him do what he _wants_ to do? _Stop dragging him over God’s green earth_.”

Angel tried to push Dean out of the way as she charged forward, “Yo, who the hell do you think-”

“Girls, girls.” Sam quickly stepped in as Dean blocked their sister from walking forward, “Meg, it’s _alright_.”

The three of them looked around at each other quietly before Dean whistled, “Okay, _awkward_.” He motioned, “We’ll just… go get a drink or something.”

Angel sent a death glare over to Sam before following Dean back to the table.

Asa looked between them as he studied Angel's irritated face, “What the hell was that about?”

  
“I don't know.” She scoffed, “Sam's girlfriend's got a _slick_ mouth.”

**SECTION TWO**

**_Outside the bar…_ **

As the four of them walked back to the car Angel scoffed in irritation, “Who the hell was that broad, Sam?”

“I don’t really know… I only met her once. Meeting up with her again?” He frowned, “I don’t know, it’s _weird_.”

“And what was she saying? _We treat you like luggage?_ ” Dean repeated angrily, “What, were you bitchin’ about us to some _chick_?”

“Look, _i’m sorry_.” Sam turned and stopped them from walking, already knowing this was going to start some kind of fight, “It was when we had that huge fight when I was in that bus stop in Indiana. But that’s not important, just listen-”

“ _Not important_ ?” Angel scoffed, “Oh, it's _important_ . Was she telling the truth? I mean she had to be at least a little because why else would she take it upon herself to jump to your rescue like that? _Obviously_ we’re keeping you against your will, Sam.”

“No, of course not.” He put his hands up hurriedly, “Now, would you guys _listen_?”

Dean rolled his eyes, “ _What_?”

Angel huffed when Asa motioned for her to let up on him, “Fine.” She motioned, “Go ahead.”

“I think there’s somethin’ _strange_ going on here.”

“Yeah, _tell me about it_.” Dean glared, “She wasn’t even that into me.”

“Dean, _not every woman on the planet is going to throw themself at you_.” Angel bit back, “Get over yourself.”

“ _Listen_ .” Sam reigned them in, “I mean like _our_ kind of strange. Like, _maybe even a lead_.”

She raised a brow, “You think the blonde is a lead? _Why_?”

“I met Meg _weeks_ ago, _literally on the side of the road_ .” He hurriedly explained, “And now, I run into her in some _random_ Chicago bar? I mean, the _same_ bar where a waitress was slaughtered by something supernatural? _You don’t think that’s a little weird_?”

“I don’t know, _random_ coincidence?”

Asa shrugged, “It happens.”

“Yeah, it _happens_ , but not to _us_ . Look, I could be wrong, I’m just sayin’ that there’s _something_ about this girl that I can’t quite put my finger on.”

“Well, I bet you’d _like_ to.” Dean smirked, “I mean, maybe she’s not a suspect, _maybe you’ve got a thing for her_ , huh?” Sam rolled his eyes at that before he laughed as Dean pointed to his head, “Maybe you’re thinkin’ a little too much with your _upstairs_ brain, huh?” 

Asa chuckled when Angel grimaced, “ _Gross_.”

“Do me a favor.” Sam got to business immediately as he doled out jobs, “Check and see if there’s really a _Meg Masters from Andover, Massachusetts_.” He turned to Angel and Asa, “Can you guys see if you can’t dig anything up on that symbol on Meredith’s floor?”

“We can handle that.” Asa smiled, “I got a few contacts I can call about it.”

Dean studied him, “What are you gonna do?”

“I’m gonna watch Meg.”

Angel groaned, “ _Sam_.” 

Dean laughed excitedly, “ _Yeah, you are_.”

“I just wanna see what’s what.” Sam sent Dean a serious look, “ _Better safe than sorry._ ”

Dean was still giddy, “ _Alright_ , you little pervert.”

“ _Dude_.”

Angel swatted Dean's head, “C’mon.” She winked at Sam before they started to cross the street, “Good luck, Sammy.” 

**_With Asa and Angel…_ **

After a few hours of research Angel grabbed her phone and dialed Sam as she sat at the motel table.

_“Hey, Ang. Whatcha got?”_

Humor filled her voice. “Any luck, Sammy?”

_“You and Dean are the same person.”_

“ _Ouch_ .” She feigned offense, “I like to think that I'm the more _mature_ sibling of the group.”

_“Not a chance.” He chuckled, “Find anything on the symbol?”_

“We did actually. It turns out it’s _Zoroastrian_ .” Angel explained as she looked down at Asas research, “Very, _very_ old school, like two thousand years before Christ. It’s a sigil for a Daeva.”

_“What’s a Daeva?”_

“It translates to ‘ _demon of darkness_ ’. Zoroastrian demons. They’re _savage, animalistic_ , you know, nasty attitudes- kind of like, uh, _demonic pit bulls_.”

_“Wow.” He sounded impressed, “How’d you figure that out?”_

“We called around. _Caleb_ actually had a lot of information. Dealt with one before.”

_Surprise filled his voice, “You called Caleb?”_

“Uh, _yeah_?”

_“How'd that go with Asa there?”_

She rolled her eyes. She and Caleb had a _brief_ thing when he and John linked up. The guy was cute, around her age and a damn good hunter. They just clicked, so one thing led to another… 

“They don't know each other, Sam. We hooked up a thousand years ago. We’re able to work together without it being weird.” She winked at Asa as he came out of the bathroom after a shower and quickly changed the subject, “Anyway, _here’s the thing_ , he said these things have to be _summoned, conjured_.”

_“So… someone’s controlling it?”_

“Yup, and sounds like it’s pretty risky business dealing with them. They tend to bite the hand that feeds them. Also, _their arms and torsos_.”

_“Caleb say what they look like?”_

“No, nobody really knows. They haven't been seen for a couple of millennia. I mean, summoning a demon _that_ ancient? Someone really knows their stuff. Pretty sure we’ve got a major player in town.”

_“Yeah no doubt.”_

“Dean find out if your girlfriend was legit?”

_“Yeah, he found her in the phonebook and pulled up her highschool photo…”_

She frowned at his tone, “Okay, well isn't that a _good_ thing? You can relax now.”

_“I don't know… I just- I have a weird feeling about this.”_

“ _Awe_ , Sam.” She chuckled, “That's called a _crush_ . Just go ask her to dinner or something and enjoy yourself for once.” Before he could argue she ended the conversation, “ _Have fun_ , Sammy.”

**_With Sam…_ **

Sam sat in the Impala and glanced back up at Meg’s window after hanging up the phone. A few seconds later, a light turned on and Meg entered her bedroom wearing a black lace bra. Sam looked around uncomfortably before he brought his eyes back up to continue watching her. As she put on a T-shirt someone leaned next to the passenger side window and cleared their throat. He turned to see a woman standing outside the car, looking annoyed as she gestured to the window.

“Oh, no, no, no.” Sam immediately shook his head as he tried to explain himself, “I’m just-”

“ _Pervert_!” Turning she walked away angrily, “What a creep!”

Sam sat there stunned as he watched her leave. A second later, Meg walked out of her apartment, now wearing a sweatshirt and jacket as well. She walked across the street, briefly glancing at the Impala. Once she was gone, Sam, who had been hiding, sat up. He got out of the car and followed her.

Meg stopped at a graffiti-covered wall, looked around and pulled open a door, which seemed to be part of the wall. When she was inside, Sam peered out from behind a building and entered behind her. He walked up a flight of stairs before reaching a door at the top, which he attempted to open, but couldn't because it was locked. Looking around he saw a broken down elevator gate and climbed the side of it. When he reached the top, he was able to peer through the gate into a dimly lit room. 

There is a black altar in the middle of the room and Meg stood in front of it. Meg reached the altar and picked up a silver bowl filled with blood. She swirled her finger around in the liquid and spoke an incantation in an ancient language. She then began to speak into the bowl but Sam couldn't hear anyone speak back.

“I don’t think you should come… Because the Winchester, they’re in town, I didn’t know that- Yes, sir… Yes, I’ll be here- waiting for you.”

At the sight, confusion filled Sam. Meg sat the bowl down and blew out the candles at the altar before leaving the room. Once she was gone, Sam moved to the wall, where there was a space through which he could crawl. He hoisted himself up and climbed into the room to walk over and observe the altar. He saw several human hearts on the table, along with other ancient items. In the middle of the altar is the Zoroastrian symbol, drawn in blood.

“ _What the hell_?”

**_Later on: With Sam and Dean…_ **

Sam entered his and Dean's motel room frantically. Upon seeing him, Dean jumped up.

Together they said, “Dude, I gotta talk to you.”

“We need Angel for this.” Sam hurriedly said as walked to the motel table, “ _It's big_.”

“She's uh...” Dean grimaced a little, “ _Busy_. With Asa.”

“Well this is more important.” Grabbing the extra key Sam walked over to her room ignoring Dean's calls and banged on her door, “Angel! I'm back and I’m coming in.”

As he barged in, Angel hurriedly scrambled off of Asa with the sheets. She landed ass on the floor and instantly covered herself with the blanket as Asa covered himself with one of the pillows.

“What the hell is the matter with you, Sam?! _Get out_!”

Sam gave her an intense bitch face, “Am i the only one actually _working_ this case?”

Angel scoffed, “Just… _out._ ” She got up and ushered him out before slamming the door loudly, “Get out!”

When Asa chuckled she turned around and glared, “You think that's _funny_? My little brother almost saw us both naked! He almost saw us doing it!”

“No, _that_ part is pretty mortifying.” Asa nodded, “But I _do_ think it's cute seeing you around your brothers. Shows a side I'm not used to seeing.”

“Ace…” She huffed when a blush came over her, “ _Stop_.” 

“ _Also…_ ” He got up and crossed the room to giver a kiss, first on her neck, “I _love_ that I can make you blush…” He trailed the kisses up to her jaw, “ _Very easily_.”

Quickly she ducked his next kiss and picked up his pants before shoving them into his arms, “Don't start something we can't finish right now.” Smirking she motioned as he watched her pull her clothes on, “Get dressed, _hurry_.”

Later on they were all in Sam and Dean's room as they listened to what Sam had seen.

Dean laughed, “So, _hot little Meg_ is summoning the Daeva?”

“Looks like she was using that black altar to control the thing.”

He chuckled, “Sammy's got a thing for the bad girl.” 

Sam rolled his eyes as Asa interjected, “What’s the deal with that bowl again?”

“She was _talking_ into it. The way witches used to scry into crystal balls or animal entrails. She was _communicating_ with someone.”

“With who?” Angel asked, “With the Daeva?”

“No, you said those things were savages. This was someone different. Someone who’s giving her orders. _Someone who’s comin’ to that warehouse_.”

Dean thought for a second before glancing at some files on a nearby table. Hurriedly he walked over and looked through them.

“What?” Sam watched him, “What is it?”

“What I was gonna tell you earlier- I pulled a favor with my-” He cleared his throat pointedly, “ _Friend_ , Amy, over at the police department. The complete records of the two victims- _we missed something the first time_.”

“What?” Angel shuffled over to him, “We don't _miss_ things.”

Dean continued, “The first victim, the old man- he spent his whole life in Chicago, but he wasn’t _born_ here. Look where he was born.”

When he pointed to something on the page, Angel's entire body went rigid, “ _Lawrence, Kansas_.”

“Mmhmm.” He picked up the second file, “Meredith, second victim- turns out she was adopted. And guess where she’s from.” 

The paper reads ‘ _Lawrence, Kansas._ ’ 

Sam dropped into the seat across from Dean in shock, “Holy crap.”

“This is bad…” Angel wiped her face, “Like _bad, bad_.”

Dean nodded just as grimly, “ _Yeah_.”

Asa looked between them in confusion, “What's the importance of Lawrence?”

“That's where we’re from…” Angel explained, looking up at him with raw emotion, “That's where the demon killed our Mom… _That’s where everything started_.”

Sam looked at his siblings, “So, you think Meg’s tied up with the demon?”

Dean nodded, “I think it’s a definite possibility.”

“But I don’t understand…” Sam frowned, “What’s the significance of _Lawrence_? And how do these Daeva things fit in?”

“Beats me.” Dean shrugged, “But I say we trash that black altar, grab Meg, and have ourselves a friendly little interrogation.”

Angel smirked, “You wanna run head first into this?” When he nodded she shrugged, “I'm down, Let's do it.”

“No, we can’t.” Sam disagreed, “We shouldn’t tip her off. We’ve gotta stake out that warehouse. We’ve gotta see _who, or what,_ is showin’ up to meet her.”

“I’ll tell you one thing…” Dean got up, “I don’t think we should do this alone.”

Asa sighed, “I'm here as long as you guys need me.”

“ _No_.”

“ _No_ ?” Asa repeated as he turned to Angel, “What do you mean _no_?”

“I mean…” She sent a look to her brothers and they shuffled out quietly, giving them space, “I don't want you apart of this. It's _way_ too dangerous.”

“Babe, I'm a _hunter_. Dangerous is kinda in my job description.” He crossed his arms, “I'll be fine.”

“No… This is different. This is…” She shook her head as she looked up at him, “Look, i love that you wanna help, i do, but…”

His face hardened, “It's a _family_ thing?” 

  
“I’m sorry Asa… I just- i don't want any more people i care about _dead_ and that includes _you_.”

**SECTION THREE**

Angel readied her guns as Sam entered the room with duffle bags that were filled with the weapons and supplies in the impala. Dean was on the other side of the room trying to get a hold of John but, like every other time, got his voicemail.

“We think we’ve got a serious lead on the thing that killed Mom. So, uh, this warehouse- it’s _1435 West Erie_. Dad, if you get this, get to Chicago as soon as you can.”

When he hung up Sam looked over, “Voicemail?”

“Are you surprised?” Angel scoffed as she shook her head, “It's just… where the hells has he been all this time? He can't pick up the phone _once_.”

“Ang…” Dean squeezed her arm, “He’ll be here if he can be.”

“Yeah… we’ll see.”

“You know… we could've used _Asas_ help…”

She glared, “It's not _his_ fight, Dean. I'm not letting this piece of trash take anyone else I care about. You two are lucky I didn't send you down the road with him.”

“Alright, alright.” Dean turned to Sam noticing the bags he brought in, “ _Geeze_ , what’d you get?”

“I ransacked that trunk. Holy water, every weapon that I could think of. Exorcism rituals from about a half dozen religions.” Sam looked everything over, “I’m not sure what to expect, so I guess we should just expect _everything_.”

Dean nodded and the three of them silently began to load their guns.

Dean nods and the three of them begin loading their guns silently.

Dean sighed as he loaded his rocksalt gun and shot a look to Sam and Angel, “ _Big night_.”

“Yeah.”

Angel's eyes raked over her brother's faces, silently searching them, “You boys nervous?”

“No.”

“Nah.”

“Are you?”

“Not really, no.”

Silence fell amongst them again before Sam broke it, “God, could you _imagine_ if we actually found that damn thing? That demon?”

“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves, all right?”

“I know. I’m just sayin’, _what if we did_ ? What if this whole thing was over _tonight_ ? Man, I’d sleep for a _month_ . Go back to school- _be a person again_.”

Dean's eyes cut to him, “You wanna go back to school? “

“Yeah, once we’re done huntin’ the thing.”

“ _Huh_.”

Angels' eyes flicked between them as they spoke. She noted the disappointment and hurt in Dean's face. She knew what he wanted. She kind of wanted it to but it wasn't in the cards with their Dad and Sammy. Hell even Angel herself found it hard to get along with the man most of the time. Which was why she took a lot of solo jobs. 

“Why?” Sam cleared his throat looking between them, “Is there something wrong with that?”

“No, Sam.” Angel offered a tight smile before sending a dismissive eye to Dean, “That's great if that's what you wanna do. We support it.”

He nodded but noted the tension between them that surfaced, “I mean, what are you two gonna do when it’s all over?”

Dean got up from his seat, sending a look over his shoulder, “It’s never gonna be _over_.”

Sams brows furrowed, “What's he talking about?”

“The fact that _the job is never over,_ Sam. We’re never gonna be _done_.” Angel reloaded her gun as she avoided his eye, “I mean, at least for me i know i'm not gonna be done. That's how the cards are laid out for me. I know too much about everything out there. There’s gonna be others.”

“Shes right.” Dean agreed, “ _There’s always gonna be somethin’ to hunt_.”

“Wait- But guys there’s gotta be _something_ that you want for yourselves-”

  
  


“Yeah, Sam.” Dean cut off irritatedly, “I don’t want you to leave the second this thing’s over.”

“ _Dude_ , what’s your problem?”

Dean stood silent for a second before he turned to Sam, “Why do you think I drag you guys everywhere? _Huh_ ? I mean, _why_ do you think we came and got you at Stanford in the first place?”

“‘Cause Dad was in trouble. ‘Cause you two wanted to find the thing that killed Mom.”

“Partly.” Angel smiled, “Not the _whole_ reason, though.”

“It’s more than that, man… You and Angel and me and Dad- I mean, I want _us…_ I want us to be _together_ again. _I want us to be a family again_.”

“Dean, we _are_ a family. I’d do anything for you. For _both_ of you, _for all of you_ , but things will never be the way they were before.”

Dean looked at him with heartbroken sad eyes, “ _Could_ be.”

Angel frowned as her heart broke from the disappointment in Dean's eyes, “Boys… just drop it.”

“No _wait_ .” Sam looked between the two of them, “I don’t _want_ them to go back. I'm not gonna live this life forever. When this is all over… Both of you are gonna have to let me go my own way.” He frowned at the look in their eyes but didn't concede, “I’m sorry but… that's just the way it is.”

**_In the warehouse…_ **

Sam, Dean and Angel climbed the elevator gate and reached the top room. Meg was standing at the altar, speaking in an ancient language. Quietly, Sam, Dean and Angel squeezed through the space between the gate and the wall. They drew their guns and moved to the other side of the room, hiding behind some crates.

“ _Winchesters_ .” Meg growled causing the three to stop and look at each other, stunned, “Hiding is a little bit _childish_ , don’t you think?”

“Great.” Dean scoffed, “Well, _that_ didn’t work out like I planned.”

Meg turned to face them, “Why don’t you come out?” The three obeyed and she instantly turned to smirk at Sam, “Sam, _I have to say_ , this puts a real _crimp_ in our relationship.”

He scoffed, “Yeah, tell me about it.”

“ _So…_ ” Angel studied her and then their surroundings, “Where are your friends?”

“ _Around_.” She grinned at Angel before turning to Dean, “You know, that shotgun’s not gonna do much good.”

“Oh, don’t worry, sweetheart.” He cocked it, “The shotgun’s not for the demon.”

“So, who is it, Meg?” Sam asked, “Who’s coming? Who are you waiting for?”

“ _You_.”

As she stared them down, the shadow demon began to form on the wall. It knocked Sam to the ground before throwing Angel and then Dean into the crates, incapacitating them. A claw-like scratch appeared on Sam's face before he blacked out as well.

**SECTION FOUR**

Sam, Dean and Angel were all tied up to three separate posts. Angel and Dean were already awake and glaring at Meg. When Sam awoke, he jumped at the sight of Meg sitting before him. 

“Hey, Sam?” Dean looked over, “Don’t take this the wrong way, but your girlfriend… _is a bitch_.”

“ _Oh_ ?” Meg got up and kicked him painfully in the face, “Didn't mommy or big sis teach you not to call women _bitches_.”

Angel struggled, “Leave him alone!”

Meg laughed at her as she sat back down.

Sam watched her every move, “This, _the whole thing_ , was a trap. _Running into you at the bar, following you here, hearing’ what you had to say_. It was all a set-up, wasn’t it?” Meg laughed again, “And that the victims were from Lawrence?”

“It doesn’t mean anything.” She shrugged nonchalantly, “It was just to draw you in, _that’s all_.”

“You killed those two people for _nothing_!”

“Baby, _I’ve killed a lot more for a lot less_.”

“You trapped us. Good for you. _It’s Miller time_.” Dean grinned as he challenged her, “Why don’t you kill us already?”

“Not very quick on the uptake, are we?” She leaned in closer, “This trap isn’t for _you_.”

Sam and Dean both look puzzled but realization comes to Angel, “It’s for Dad…” Meg grinned as Angel scoffed, “Lady, you really are _dumb_ aren't you? Even if he _was_ in town he's smarter than to walk into something like this. You're wasting your time.”

Dean shook his head, “He’s never gonna fall for this crap.”

“He is pretty good. I’ll give you that.” She winked at Angel but walked over to Dean and straddled his legs, “But you see, he has _one_ weakness.”

Dean glared, “What’s that?”

“ _You_ .” Deans jaw tensed at her words, “ He lets his guard down around his kids, _lets his emotions cloud his judgment_ . I happen to know he _is_ in town, and he’ll come and try to save you. And then the Daevas will kill everybody- _nice and slow and messy_.”

“Well, I’ve got news for ya.” Dean kept his glare on her, unwaveringly, “It’s gonna take a lot more than some… _shadow_ to kill him.”

“Oh, the Daevas are in the room _here-_ they’re _invisible_. Their shadows are just the only part you can see.”

“Why you doin’ this, Meg?” Sam interjected, “What kind of deal you got worked out here, huh? And with _who_?”

“I’m doing this for the same reasons you do what you do- _loyalty, love_ .” She turned and watched him, a sick smirk playing on her lips, “Like the love you had for Mommy… _and_ Jess.”

“ _Go to hell_.”

“Baby, I’m already there.” With a grin she slid over to Sam, “ _Come on_ , Sam. There’s no need to be _nasty_ .” Leaning in she began to whisper in his ear, “I think we _both_ know how you _really_ feel about me. You know, I saw you watching me changing in my apartment. Turned you on, didn’t it?”

“ _Seriously_?” Angel rolled her eyes as she worked her ropes, “You guys are about to make me vomit.”

Meg ignored her and started kissing Sam's neck, “ _I didn’t mind_ . I _liked_ that you were watching me. _Come on_ , Sammy. You and I can still have a little dirty fun.” 

“You wanna have fun? _Go ahead then_ . I’m a little _tied up_ right now.” 

She grinned before she continued to kiss him. A noise on Dean’s side of the room made her stop. When she got up she saw Dean had a knife in his hand as he tried to cut through his rope. She swiftly took it away and tossed it into a corner before smirking down at Dean who chuckled guiltily.

“Now…” She slid back over to Sam, “Were you just trying to distract me while your brother cuts free?”

“ _No_.” A triumphant smirk played on Sam's lips, “That’s because I have a knife of my own.” 

Meg gave him a look before he broke free from his ropes and grabbed her. He knocked his head against her making her fall to the ground in pain.

“Sam!” Angel yelled when he winced back from the impact, “Shake it off and destroy the altar!”

Sam hurried over to the altar and overturned it just as the shadow demon appeared and grabbed Meg. It dragged her across the floor and catapulted her through a window, making her fall down to the street below. Sam grabbed a knife and hurriedly cut Dean and Angel free from their ropes.

They all hurried over to the window to see Meg sprawled out on the sidewalk dead, “So, I guess the Daevas didn’t like being bossed around.”

“Guess not.” Angel huffed, “ _Thankfully_.”

Dean turned with an annoyed glint in his eyes, “Hey, Sam?”

“Hm?”

“Next time you wanna get laid, find a girl that’s not so _buckets-o’-crazy_ , huh?” 

  
With a smile he walked away as Sam looked to Angel with wide eyes, “Don't look at me. _I agree with him_.”

**SECTION FIVE**

**_In the hotel hallway…_ **

As the three walked back to their room Dean looked over his little brother who was holding the duffle bags in his hands, “Why didn’t you just leave that stuff in the car?”

“I said it before, and I’ll say it again-  _ better safe than sorry _ .”

“Well I for one don't mind.” Angel grimaced a little as sh walked beside them, “That seemed a little bit too easy.”

Deans brows furrowed as he unlocked the door, “What about that was  _ easy _ ?” As they entered the room they saw the outline of a man standing by the window, “ _ Hey _ !”

Sam quickly turned on the light and when the man turned they saw it was their father.

The three of them stood there stunned for a few seconds before Angel hobbled forward, “D-  _ Dad _ ?”

He smiled at the sight of them, “Hey.”

Angel and John walked toward eachother and shared a long, emotional hug as tears fell down Angels face. Letting her go he turned and took Dean into an equally emotional hug. Sam watched on sadly as they pulled apart.

John turned to his youngest with a loving smile, “Hi, Sam.”

Sam's voice was soft, “Hey, Dad.”

The two of them don't hug. Instead they share an emotional look as Sam placed the bags of weapons on the floor.

“Dad, it was a trap.” Dean frowned, “I didn’t know, I’m sorry.”

“It’s all right.” He dismissed, “I thought it might’ve been.”

Angel studied him, “Were you there?”

“Yeah, I got there just in time to see the girl take the swan dive. She  _ was  _ the bad guy, right?”

The three of them answered in unison, “Yes, sir.” 

“ _ Good _ . Well, it doesn’t surprise me. It’s tried to stop me before.”

Sam eyebrows raised, “The  _ demon  _ has?”

“It knows I’m close. It knows I’m gonna  _ kill  _ it. Not just  _ exorcise  _ it or  _ send it back to hell-  _ actually  _ kill  _ it.”

“ _ How _ ?”

John smiled at Dean, “I’m workin’ on that.”

“Let us come with you.” Sam shuffled forward earning a warning look from Dean, “We’ll help.” 

Angel regarded him as well, “ _ Sam _ .”

“ _ No _ , Sam.” John automatically dismissed him, “Not yet.  _ Just try to understand _ . This demon is a  _ scary  _ son of a bitch. I don’t want you caught in a crossfire.  _ I don’t want you hurt. _ ”

“Dad, you don’t have to worry about us.”

“ _ Of course I do _ . I’m your  _ father _ .” He paused as he stared at Sam with a little regret, “Listen, Sammy… Last time we were together, we had one hell of a fight.”

“Yes, sir.”

“It’s good to see you again. It’s been a long time.”

Sam nodded a little, “ _ Too _ long.” 

As they both teared up they took each other in for a tight hug. When they pulled apart, the four of them looked around at each other tearfully. 

“ _ Well… _ ” Angel wiped her face of the tears, “This is a better family reunion than I expected.”

Suddenly, the shadow demon appeared and attacked John. He was thrown into a set of cabinets and fell to the ground before Sam was painfully tossed aside. 

“Sammy!” 

Angel tried to run to him but was instantly thrown into the mirror on the other side of the wall. It shattered on impact, cutting her up as she collapsed on top of the rubble.

“ _ No _ !” 

Dean screamed at the sight of his family being attacked before he too is thrown to the floor. They all groaned and screamed in pain as they were flung around the room. Fresh scratches appeared on each of their faces as the shadow demon attacked. 

Sam made his way to the bag of weapons on the floor and removed a flare from the bag, “Shut your eyes! These things are shadow demons, so let’s  _ light ‘em up _ !” 

He lit the flare, and the room was instantly filled with smoke as a brilliant white light blinded everyone in the room. The shadow demon instantly vanished. Once it was gone, the three of them flailed around as they coughed and sputtered trying to feel their way around the room.

Dean coughed and spun around, “ _ Dad _ !” 

“Over here!” John yelled back, Dean made his way to him and helped him up, “Where's Angel?”

Sam answered as he followed them out of the room, carrying the bag of weapons as well as helping Angel limp her way out, “I've got her.” 

They quickly hurried out of the building and down an alley to the Impala. Sam put the bag in the backseat of the car before helping Angel get in the back.

“Alright, come on.” He instructed hurriedly, “We don’t have much time. As soon as the flare’s out, they’ll be back.”

“Sam, wait.” Dean yelled before turning to their father, “Dad, you can’t come with us.”

Sam scoffed, “What?”

Angel leaned out of the car, “Dean, what the hell are you talking about?” 

John shook his head, “The three of you are beat to hell.”

“We’ll be alright.”

“Dean, we should stick together.”

“Sams right.” Angel grimaced her way out of the car, getting help from John, “We’ll go after those demons-”

“Listen to me! We almost got Dad killed in there. Don’t you guys understand?  _ They’re not gonna stop _ . They’re gonna try again. They’re gonna use  _ us  _ to get to  _ him _ . I mean,  _ Meg was right _ . Dad’s vulnerable when he’s with us. He- he’s stronger  _ without  _ us around.”

Angel, realizing Dean was right, looked to her father with sad eyes. 

But Sam shook his head, “Dad-  _ no _ .” He put a hand on his father’s shoulder as the other two watched sadly, “After  _ everything-  _ after all the time we spent lookin’ for you…  _ Please _ . I gotta be a part of this fight.”

“Sammy, this fight is just starting. And we are all gonna have a part to play. For now, you’ve got to trust me, son.” Sam shook his head in disagreement as John nodded, “You’ve gotta let me go.”

All four of them were silent for a moment, all close to tears. Finally, Sam conceded and patted his fathers shoulder before he leaned back and let him go. John and Dean share an emotional look before John gently hugged his daughter and kissed her cheek. 

He walked to his truck, turning to look at them one more time, “ _ Be careful. _ ”

The three of them sadly watched him get into his truck and drive away

“Come on.” 

Dean helped Angel into the backseat before he and Sam got into the car and drove away.


	11. Something Wicked

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Angel, Sam and Dean investigate a small town in Wisconsin where children are falling into comas for no apparent reason. The three discover that a witch is creeping into the bedrooms of the children and stealing their life force. While battling the witch, Angel recalls a past mistake that almost cost Sam his life at the hands of the very same witch, an event which has fueled Angel and Dean's protectiveness over Sam and their blind obedience to their father.

**DISCLAIMER:** I only own my character! Anything you might recognize is courtesy of the CW.

  
**WARNING:** Some of these episodes/chapters may contain graphic violence, cursing, mentions of suicide or assault and other triggering aspects. Proceed with caution please.

_Previously skipped: Hell House…_

Dean drove the impala down a country road, Angel in the passenger seat and Sam in the back. 

“ _Yeah_ .” He looked in the rearview, “You probably missed something, that's _what_.”

“Dude, _I ran LexisNexis, local police reports, newspapers_ , I couldn't find a _single_ red flag.” Sam leaned up and turned to Angel, “Are you sure you got the coordinates right?”

“ _Yes_ , Sam, I think i can read coordinates. _Fitchburg, Wisconsin_ is where he's sending us.” She sighed, “For _some_ reason.”

“Dad wouldn't have sent us coordinates if it wasn't important guys.”

“Well, I'm telling you I looked and all I could find was a big steamy pile of _nothing_ .” Sam couldn't keep the frustration from his voice, “If Dad's sending us hunting for something, _I don't know what_.”

“You know boys… he could be meeting us there.”

“ _Yeah_.” Sam scoffed, “Cause he's been so easy to find up to this point.”

Dean snapped at that, “You're a real smart ass you know that?” 

“ _Stop_.” Angel dismissed, “Look, we’re going and I'm very positive there's something there to hunt so just both of you drop the tudes.”

“Yeah?” Sam argued, “What makes _you_ so sure?”

“Cause I'm the oldest, which means I'm always right.”

Dean scoffed, “ _No it doesn't_.”

“Oh _but it does_ .” She cut him with an eye, “Now _shut it_.” 

She smirked at the both of them as the impala cruised past the sign for Fitchburg, population 20,501. On the Fitchburg main street the three stopped at the Glasow Diner so Dean could get coffee. Sam leaned against the Impala staring ahead studying something in deep thought. 

Angel surveyed him, “You alright there, Sammy?”

“Uh… You got the time?”

She checked, “Ten after four. Whats up?”

Sam motioned in front of him, “What's wrong with this picture?”

She looked over to where Sam was watching and noticed the playground was deserted, only one child climbing around.

“ _Huh…_ Schools out and there's no kids…”

“Yeah. So where is everybody? This place should be crawling with kids right now.”

A woman sat on a park bench reading a magazine so Angel approached her slowly. 

She offered a small smile, “Sure is quiet out here.”

“Yeah, it's a shame.”

“Why's that?”

“You know, kids getting sick, it's a terrible thing.”

Angel studied her for a beat, “How many?”

“Just five or six but serious. _Hospital serious_. A lot of parents are getting pretty anxious. They think it's catching.”

They both watched the little girl playing by herself before Angel crossed back over to Sam the same time Dean crossed the road from the diner, holding three coffees. 

“Well…” He spoke as he handed Sam and Angel their coffees, “The waitress thinks the local freemasons are up to something sneaky but other than that no one's heard about anything freaky going on.”

“ _Other_ than the fact that kids are dropping like flies here.”

**_Dane County Memorial Hospital…_ **

The Winchesters entered and approached the reception desk, all three of them dressed to impress. 

“Guys…” Sam hurried behind his older siblings, “ _Guys_ , I am _not_ using this ID.”

Dean gave him a look, “Why not?”

“ _Because it says bikini inspector on it!_ ”

Angel couldn't help but smirk and shake her head as Dean grinned, “Don't worry she won't look that close all right? Hell, _she won't even ask to see it_ . It's all about _confidence_ Sammy.”

He quickly spinned Sam to face the desk as he and Angel kept walking. The receptionist looked up at him curiously.

“Hi…” Sam smiled nervously, “I'm Doctor Jerry Caplin, _Centers for Disease Control_.”

“Can I see some ID?”

Further down the corridor Dean and Angel both snickered before Sam threw them a dirty look, “Yeah, of course.” He quickly flashed the ID, holding his thumb over part of it, “Now could you direct me to the pediatrics ward please?”

“Okay well, just go down that hall, turn left and up the stairs.”

Sam approached his grinning sibling and gave them a major bitchface. Angel chuckled as she turned and started walking as Dean still grinned at him.

“ _See_. I told you it would work.”

Sam glared once more before shaking his head irritably, “ _Whatever_.”

**_Upstairs…_ **

As the three of them walked down a corridor, Dean looked into a room they passed. An old evil looking woman sat in a wheelchair and slowly turned her head to look at him. He quickly noted an inverted cross was hanging on her wall.

“ _Dean_.”

At Angel's voice he began following them again, glancing back toward the room.

Once they met up with a doctor, he led them through another corridor.

Angel smiled from beside him as her brothers followed behind, “Thanks for seeing us, Dr. Hydecker.”

“Well I'm glad you three are here. I was just about to call CDC myself.” He looked from her to the guys, “How'd you find out anyways?”

“A GP called our Atlanta office and gave us the rundown.” Angel quickly explained, “He must've beat you to the punch.”

“So you say you got six cases so far?”

“Yeah, five weeks.” Dr. Hydecker nodded at Sam, “At first we thought it was garden variety bacterial pneumonia. _Not that newsworthy_ . But _now_ …”

“Now what?”

“The kids aren't responding to antibiotics. Their white cell counts keep going down. Their immune systems just aren't doing their job. It's like their bodies are… _wearing out_.”

A nurse earned his attention, “Excuse me, Dr Hyecker.”

She handed him some forms to look over and sign as Angel questioned him, “Have you ever seen anything like this before? Anything similar?”

“Never this severe.”

The nurse looked at them with a frown, “And the way it spreads… _that's_ a new one for me.”

“What do you mean?”

“It works its way through families.” She explained to Sam, “But only the children, _one sibling after another_.”

Deans brows furrowed, “You mind if we interview a few of the kids?”

“They're not conscious.”

Surprise filled Angel's face, “ _None_ of them?”

“No.”

Worry filled Angels eyes, “Is there a way we could talk to the parents instead?”

Dr. Hydecker shrugged, “If you think it'll help.”

“Yeah. Who was your most recent admission?”

**_Hospital waiting room…_ **

A man sat on a chair against the wall as the Winchesters stood in front of him, “I should get back to my girls.”

“We understand that, Sir. We really do appreciate you talking to us.” Angel said softly, “Now you say Mary is the oldest?”

He nodded sadly, “Thirteen.”

“She came down with it first, right? And then…”

“ _Bethany_ , the next night.”

“Within 24 hours?”

“I guess. Look, I, uh, I already went through all this with the doctor.”

“Just a few more questions if you don't mind.” Dean pressed on, “How do you think they caught pneumonia? Were they out in the cold, anything like that?”

“No.” He frowned, “We think it was an open window.”

“ _Both_ times?”

“The first time, I- I don't really remember but the second time for sure. And I _know_ I closed it before I put Bethany to bed.”

Angel studied it, “Do you think she might have opened it?”

“It's a second story window with a ledge. No one else _could've_.”

As the three of them walked back down the corridor, something about this case was starting to ring familiar in Angel's mind. She was getting serious deja vu as it seemed like a boulder was starting to settle in her stomach. She really hoped she was wrong.

“You know this might not be anything supernatural.” Sam turned to them, “It might just be pneumonia.”

“Or…” Angel frowned, “ _Something_ snuck in through that kids window and infected her.”

Dean nodded, “Dad sent us down here for a reason.” He looked at Angel, mirroring her worries, “I think we might be barking up the _right_ tree.”

Sam sighed but nodded, “I'll tell you one thing. That guy we just talked to? I'm betting it'll be awhile before he goes home.”

**_Bethany's Bedroom…_ **

When they made it to the interior of Bethany's Bedroom they spread out around searching and scanning for EMF. 

Sam looked over, “You got anything over there?”

“Nah, nothing.”

“Me either.” Angel frowned, “ _Damn_.”

They kept checking as Angel made it to the window. What she saw there caused her to stop in her tracks, recognition evident in her face. There was a handprint rotted into the wood. She remembered the first time she'd ever seen that type of handprint…

**_Flashback…_ **

_Young Angel, around 13, sat staring at a photo of the same rotted handprint. Dean sat at the table boredly trying to do his homework and a little Sammy sat in the recliner watching cartoons. John came out of the bedroom as he loaded his sawn off shotgun._

_“Alright. You know the drill, Ang.” John looked at her expectantly as he brought his bags up to the table, “Anybody calls, you don't pick up. If it's me, I'll ring once, then call back. You got that?”_

_“Yes, Dad.” She looked up at him pointedly, “Don't answer the door and don't answer the phone unless it rings once first. I've done this a million times.”_

_“I know.” He studied her, “Just… makes me feel better telling you. And this stuff is important so look alive.”_

_“Yeah but we go over it all the time, Dad. You know i'm not stupid. I can handle it.”_

_“I know you're not but it only takes one mistake, you got that?” At her nod John continued to gather the last of his things, “Alright, if I'm not back Sunday night…?”_

_“Call Pastor Jim.” After she answered him she quickly interrupted him before he could go on, “Lock the doors, the windows, close the shades, and line everything with salt. Most importantly: take care of the boys.” She grinned, “Told you: I got it.”_

_“Alright.” John smiled down at her, proud, “That's my girl. If something tries to bust in?”_

_“Shoot first, ask questions later.”_

_John winked at her, “That's my girl.”_

_She followed him to the door and locked it after he was gone before turning to look at her brothers. Dean had been staring after John sadly but Sam was still glued to the couch watching his cartoons._

“You alright?” Sam walked over to Angel, jarring her from her memory, and then noticed the handprint on the windowsill and frowned, “It's rotted. What the hell leaves a handprint like _that_?”

Dean came over to them and instantly looked sick when he saw the handprint. Guilt filled him as he looked over to Angel's terrified face.

“Dads faced this thing before… that's why he sent us…”

Angel nodded and looked at Sam's confused face, “He wants us to finish the job.”

**SECTION TWO**

That night the Impala pulled up to a motel office. After Dean parked, the three of them silently got out.

Sam studied them curiously, “So… what the hell is a shtriga?”

“It's a type of witch that preys on kids.” Angel explained as Dean avoided his eyes, “Other than that we don't know much about them.”

“Well I've never heard of it.” Sam quipped, “And it's not in Dad's journal.”

“Dad hunted one in Fort Douglas, Wisconsin when we were kids.” Dean eyed him, “You were _there_. You don't remember?”

“ _No_.”

Angels eyes shifted to theirs, “He must've caught wind of the thing in Fitzburg now and kicked us the coordinates…”

“So wait, this…”

“ _Shtriga_.”

“ _Right_. You two think it's the same one Dad hunted before?”

Dean shrugged, “Yeah, maybe.”

“But if Dad went after it why is it still breathing air?”

“ _Well_ , Sam.” Angel looked to him pointedly, “ _Obviously_ because the thing got away.”

“ _Got away_?”

“ _Yes_ , Sam, _it happens_.” Angel said frustratedly, “Even to Dad, believe it or not.”

He scoffed, “Not often.”

Dean shrugged trying to lighten the mood, “Maybe Dad didn't have his wheaties that morning.”

“Yeah…” Sam eyed between them like he knew he was missing something, “What else do you guys remember?”

“ _Nothing_.” Angel answered too quickly, cutting Dean off as he was about to explain and shutting him up with a look, “We were all just kids, Sam. There's nothing to remember.” She shook her head before she started to walk away, “I'll just go get the rooms…”

She walked into the reception area of the hotel leaving Sam and Dean by the car and rang the bell. A young boy, around 10 to 12, came from the back room where a younger boy sat watching TV behind him. 

The boy looked up at her, studied her a bit then smiled charmingly, “How can i help you?”

Angel took out a credit card as she answered, “Two queens and a king; seperate rooms.”

The boy's glance fell from Angel to her brothers who were standing behind her outside.

His voice fell to whisper, “Yeah I'll bet two queens.”

Her brow raised curiously as she smirked, “What was that?”

He grinned, “Nice car!” When she smiled at him he leaned in a little, “Has anyone ever told you how pretty your smile is? _You_ are _smokin’_.”

She chuckled at him, “Uh, thanks?”

“Hi.” A woman caught her attention as she entered and smiled at the both of them, “Checking in?”

Angel nodded, “Yeah.”

“Do me a favor?” The woman turned to the boy, “Go get your brother some dinner.”

He frowned, “I'm helping a guest!” She gave him a look and he grimaced before turning to go as he explained, “Two _queens_ and a king for the pretty lady.”

The mom looked at Angel mortified but she just chuckled, “Cute kid.”

“Oh, yeah. He thinks so.” She sighed as she came behind the counter, “Sorry about that. Will that be cash or credit?”

“You take MasterCard?” She nodded, “ _Perfect_. Here you go.”

While she ran the card Angel watched through the door as the older boy poured a glass of milk for his little brother and had another flashback of her childhood…

**_Flashback…_ **

_Young Sam sat at the table as young Dean poured him a glass of milk. Angel sat across from him doing her own homework this time._

_Sam sighed impatiently as he looked up at the ceiling, “When's Dad gonna get back?”_

_Dean grabbed a pot from the stove, “Tomorrow.”_

_“When?”_

_He shrugged as he poured the contents of the pot into the bowl, “I dunno.”_

_Angel got up and put her finished homework back in her bag, “He usually gets in really late, Sammy. You'll probably be asleep.” She turned and noticed him just watching her so she motioned to the bowl, “Eat.”_

_He frowned, “I'm sick of scabetti-ohs.”_

_Dean scoffed irritatedly because he was the one who spent time making them, “Well- you're the one who wanted 'em!”_

_Angel rolled her eyes as she went to clean the dishes, “Dean.”_

_“I want Lucky Charms!”_

_Dean glared, “There's no more Lucky Charms.”_

_Sam looked him over unconvinced, “I saw the box!” He turned to his sister, “He's hiding it in the cupboard, Angie!”_

_“Dean, seriously?” She walked over at his blank look and opened the cupboard revealing the hidden box, “Why are you hiding cereal from Sam? That's rude.”_

_“Tattle tale.” Dean glared but turned to her to plead his case, “Okay, maybe there's still some left but there's only enough for one bowl and I haven't had any yet!”_

_Angel sighed as she put the box on the table and looked at Sam. He pouted and gave her his best puppy dog eyes that he knew she could never resist._

_She turned to Dean, “Then you tell him no.”_

_Dean rolled his eyes, grabbed the bowl of Spaghetti O's and dumped it in the trash. Angel retrieved a clean bowl and served Sam the last of the cereal. Sam excitedly took the toy prize from the top of the pile and held it out to Dean, making Angel smile._

_“D'you want the prize?”_

The woman held out Angel's card then waved a hand, “Ma'am?”

Angel came back and took the card, avoiding her eyes, “Uh… thanks.”

After retrieving the keys to each room, they all decided to group in the boys room for some more research. Sam was on his lap top as Dean and Angel went through some of the lore books they brought along. 

“Well, you were right.” Sam laughed looking over as Dean handed Angel a cup of coffee, “It wasn't very easy to find but you were right. Shtriga is a kind of witch. They're Albanian, but legends about them trace back to Ancient Rome. They feed off _spiritus vitae_.”

Dean frowned, “Spiri- _what_?”

“ _Vitae_ . It's Latin, which translates to ' _breath of life_ '. Kinda like your life force or essence.”

Dean nodded, “Didn't the doctor say the kids' bodies were wearing out?” 

“Makes sense.” Ange mused, “Maybe it's feeding on these kids Spiritus… _whatever_ and that's what is making their immunity drop.”

“Which allows the pneumonia to take hold.” Sam agreed, “Anyway, shtrigas can feed off anyone but they prefer…”

“ _Children_.”

“Yeah. Probably because they have stronger life force. And get this- Shtrigas are ‘ _invulnerable to all weapons devised by God and man_.’”

“No.” Angel shook her head, “She's vulnerable when she feeds.”

Sam's eyes snapped to hers, “What?”

“If you catch her when she's eating you can blast her with consecrated wrought iron.”

“Buckshots or rounds.” When she met Sam's eyes he just stared, “ _What_?”

“How do you know that?”

“Dad told us.” Dean answered as he shrugged, walking over to his bag to retrieve his journal, “ _I_ remember too.”

“Oh. Huh. So uh, anything _else_ Dad might have mentioned?”

“Nah.”

“Nope, that's it.”

Sam kept staring at them making Dean bristle, “ _What_?”

“Nothing.” Sam frowned knowing something was up but dropped it as he got up and walked over to them, “Okay… So, assuming we can kill it when it eats, we still gotta find the thing first, which ain't gonna be a cakewalk. Shtrigas take on a human disguise when they're not hunting.”

“What kinda human disguise?”

“ _Historically_ , something innocuous.” Sam answered as he got his own cup of coffee, “Could be anything, but it's _usually_ a feeble old woman, which might be how the ‘ _witches as old crones_ ’ legend got started.”

Dean turned and hurriedly took the map off of the table that Angel was sitting at.

She looks up at him curiously, “What?”

“Check this out.” He pointed at the map, “I marked down all the addresses of the victims. Now these are the houses that have been hit so far, and _dead center_?”

“The hospital.”

“ _The hospital_ .” Dean repeated, “Now when we were there I saw a patient, _an old woman_.”

“An _old person_ , huh?” Sam smirked, sarcasm leaking from his voice, “In a hospital? _Phew_ .” He shook his head snickering, making Angel laugh, “ _Better call the Coast Guard_.”

Dean glared, “Listen, _smart-ass_ , she had an inverted cross hanging on her wall.” 

At that revelation, the two of them both looked up at Dean , serious and he raised an eyebrow in return.

**_At the Hospital…_ **

The three came down a hallway, quickly ducking back when they saw Dr Hydecker. Once he passed them, they continued on to the old woman's room. They opened the door and snuck in, Angel led with Dean close behind and Sam hanging back, all with their guns drawn. The woman was in her wheelchair facing toward the corner. She seemed to be sleeping as Angel and Dean made their way towards her. 

As Dean leaned closer towards her she suddenly turned her head, “Who the hell are you?!”

Dean freaked, leaping back against a wall cabinet with a gasp. Angel jumped at her brother's response before taking a breath and glaring at him. Annoyed, she pulled her gun up when she realized this wasnt who they were looking for.

“Who's there?” Dean, still freaked out, pointed his gun at the woman again before Angel walked over and hit his arms down, “You trying to steal my stuff?” The old woman grumbled to herself, “They're always stealing around here.”

“No… uh…” Sam turned the light on, revealing she had cataracts, and sent an eye to an extremely freaked out Dean before continuing, “Ma'am, we're maintenance. We're sorry. We thought you were sleeping.”

“Ah, _nonsense_. I was sleeping with my peepers open.” She laughed before gesturing at the wall. “And fix that crucifix, would ya? I've asked four damn times already!” 

Angel, shaking her head at the whole thing, jogs the crucifix so it swung the right way up. Giving her brothers a look she led them out.

**SECTION THREE**

By the time they pulled the impala up to the motel parking lot it was already day and Sam was still laughing at Dean's reaction as well as the old woman.

Sam chuckled as he got out from the passenger's seat, “‘ _I was sleeping with my peepers open_?’”

“I almost smoked that old gal, I swear.” Dean glared at him when he cackled again, “ _It's not funny_!”

Sam was still snickering as he unlocked their room, “Oh man, _you shoulda seen your face_.”

Dean grumbled, “ _Whatever_.” 

“Well we’re back at square one so that's _great_.” Angel pointed out before spotting the owner's son sitting behind the office looking forlorn, “Hang on.” Walking over to the kid, Angel sat next to him, “Hey buddy, what's wrong?”

He looked up at her with teary eyes, “My brother's sick.”

Dean knelt down to him as Sam stood behind, “The little guy?” 

“Pneumonia.” He explained sadly looking from him back to Angel, “He's in the hospital and it's all my fault.”

“Hey, I'm sure that's not true sweetie.” She looked him over sadly, “What happened?”

“I shoulda made sure the window was latched.” He sniffled, “He wouldn't've got pneumonia if the window was latched.”

Angel looked pained as she and Dean stared at one another for a beat. A look of understanding crossing between them. It was a moment Sam doesn’t miss, making him frown thoughtfully. 

“Listen to me.” Dean earned his attention, conviction filling his voice, “I can _promise_ you that this is _not_ your fault. Okay?”

He turned to Dean unconvinced, “ _It's my job to look after him_.”

“Yeah but sometimes… bad things happen that we can’t control.” Angel finished, clasping her hands tightly together, “Things that affect the people we love.”

Sam looked back and forth between them as the kids mother hurried out of the motel toward her car, “Michael, I want you to turn on the no vacancy sign while I'm gone. I've got Denise covering room service so don't bother with any of the rooms.”

He got up and rushed over to her, “I'm going with you.”

“Not now, Michael.”

“But I gotta see Asher!”

“Hey, Michael. Hey.” Angel knelt down in front of him, “I _know_ you’re scared for your little brother. I _know_ you wanna see him. I know how you feel…” Her eyes filled with understanding as she motioned behind her to Sam and Dean, “I'm a big sister but you gotta take it easy on your Mom right now, okay?”

He nodded sadly at her as his mom dropped her handbag in her haste, “Dammit!”

Sam reached down and picked it up for her, “I got it.

She sniffled and quickly took it from him, “Thanks.”

Angel turned to her with a soft expression, “Listen, you're in no condition to drive- why don't you let me give you a lift to the hospital?”

She shook her head but couldn't help the tears that fell down her cheeks, “No, I couldn't possibly…”

“It's no trouble, really.” She offered a smile, “I insist.”

Nodding sadly she handed her keys to Angel, “Thank you.” Turning to Michael she kissed his head, “Be good.” 

Dean helped her into her seat before walking back over to Angel and Sam.

Angel's eyes darkened as she caught sight of Michaels broken expression again, “We're gonna kill this thing. _I want it dead_ , understood?”

**_At the hospital…_ **

Angel stood silently in Asher's room watching the doctors work on him. When her phone vibrated she immediately answered upon seeing Sam's name.

“Hey.”

_“Hey… How's the kid?”_

She sent a look behind her to the unconscious boy and frowned, “He's not good. Where are you two?”

_“Library. We’ve been trying to find out as much as we can about this Shtriga.”_

“Like?”

_“Found some bad news. I started with Fort Douglas around the time you guys said Dad was there?”_

“Yeah?”

_“Same deal. Before that, there was, uh, Ogdenville, before that North Haverbrook, and Brockway. Every 15 to 20 years it hits a new town. Ang, this thing is just getting started in Fitzburgh. In all these other places it goes on for months. Dozens of kids before the shtriga finally moves on. The kids just… languish in comas and then they die.”_

Angel tensed, “How far back's this thing go?”

_“Ah, I don't know. The earliest mention I could find is this place called ‘Black River Falls’ back in the 1890s. Talk about a horror show… Whoa.”_

Worry filled her when he quieted, “Sammy?”

_“Hold on… I'm looking at a photograph right now of a bunch of doctors standing around a kid's bed. One of the Doctors is Hydecker.”_

She raised a brow, “ _And_?”

_“And this picture was taken in 1893.”_

Angel reeled at that, “You're sure?”

_“Yeah. Yeah absolutely.”_

Angel immediately hung up and turned to watch Hydecker sit on Asher's bed as he spoke to the mother, “Don't worry. Your son's in good hands. I'm going to take care of him.” Once he got up he moved toward Angel who was standing in the doorway looking like she was ready to slit his throat, “So what's the CDC come up with so far?”

“Well… we're still working on a few theories.” She forced a tight lipped tense smile, “You'll know something as soon as we do.”

He nodded, “Well, nothing's more important to me than these kids. Just let me know if I can help.”

She raised a brow at him, “I'll do that.”

**_Back at the motel room…_ **

“We should have thought of this before.” Dean growled angrily as he walked into the other room in agitation, “ _A doctor's a perfect disguise_. You're trusted, you can control the whole thing!”

Angel scoffed as she threw her jacket off, “That _son of a bitch_.”

Sam shook his head in surprise at his sister, “I'm surprised you didn't draw on him right there.”

“Well I can't really open fire in the middle of the _pediatrics_ ward, Sam.”

Sam nodded, “Good call.”

“Not to mention it wouldn't have done any good anyway because the bastard's bullet proof unless he's chowing down on some poor defenseless kid!” She huffed as her voice got louder and louder, “Oh, a _nd i wasn't packing_ , which is probably a _really_ good thing cause I probably would have just burned a clip in him on principle alone.”

Sam smirked as he watched her pace irritatedly, “You're getting wise in your old age Ang.”

“Excuse _you_ , twenty eight is hardly _old_!”

Dean walked back into the room looking grim yet determined, “I know how we're going to get it.”

Sam looked to him curiously, “What do you mean?”

“Shtriga, works through siblings right?”

“Right.”

“Yeah.”

“Well last night…”

When he trailed off looking between them knowingly Angel tensed, “It went after Asher, so tonight it's probably gonna come after Michael.”

Sam tensed as well, “We gotta get him outta here.”

“No.” Deans shook his head in dismissal, “No, that would blow the whole deal.”

“ _Excuse me_ ?” Angel's eyes nearly flamed red from the fire she was shooting at her brother, “You wanna use that kid as _bait_?”

Sam's own eyes widened at that, “Are you nuts, Dean?”

“We’re _not_ doing that. _No_ .” Angel instantly dismissed, “ _Forget it_. That's out of the question.”

“It's not out of the question.” Dean argued, “ _It's the only way._ If this thing disappears it could be _years_ before we get another chance.”

Sam shook his head, “Michaels a _kid_ , Dean.” 

Angel whirled on him as she put her hands on her hips, “We’re not dangling him in front of that thing like a worm on a hook!”

Dean glared between them frustratedly, “Dad did _not_ send me here to walk away!”

“Send _you_ here?” Sam scoffed, “He didn't send _you_ here.” He gestured between the three of them, “He sent _us_ here.”

“This isn't about you two, Sam. _I'm_ the one who screwed up, alright. _It's my fault_.” He turned away from them as emotion broke his voice, “There's no telling how many kids have gotten hurt because of me.”

“Dean…” Angel's face softened as she realized what her brother was feeling and why, “That’s not true. None of this is your fault. You were just a kid. If anything, the blame falls on me not you.”

“What's going on?” Sam asked as he looked between them, “Why do you think this is your fault, Dean?” A long silence stretched between them making Sam sigh, “ _Dean_ …” When he didn't turn around Sam spoke anyway, “You guys have been hiding something from the get-go. Since when does _Dad_ bail on a hunt? Since when does he let something _get away_ ? You guys need to _talk to me_. Tell me what's going on.”

As Dean turned he looked to Angel who nodded for him to talk.

With a pained expression he sat on one of the beds and explained, “Fort Douglas, Wisconsin… It was our third night in this crap room and I was climbing the walls, man. I needed to get some air.”

**_Flashback…_ **

_Young Dean sat watching TV on the couch. He turned it off and went to the front door, looking back to make sure Sammy and Angel were sound asleep in the other room. He locked the door behind him when he left. Sometime during the night Angel woke up and tensed when Dean wasn't in bed. Grabbing her coat she went looking for him, finding him at the local diner that had a game in it._

_“Dean…” Angel sighed as she leaned on the machine and looked down at him, “You scared the crap out of me. What the hell are you doing over here?” He sent her a frown but continued playing his game, “Dean.”_

_“I just needed to get out of the room.” He rolled his eyes, “I'm bored, Angel. All we do is homework and watch crap tv.”_

_“I know… but it's not safe to run around out here by yourself. You know that.” She motioned, “C’mon, the guy in the front told me they're closing up anyway.”_

_With a defeated groan Dean allowed her to lead him out of the building and back to the motel room._

_“I promise I'll figure something out for you guys to do besides just sitting in the room. I'll talk to dad, but you can't just sneak out like that. What if something- Just… promise you won't do that again?” She took out the room key but looked at him before she unlocked it, “Promise?”_

_“Okay…” Dean nodded, this time with a guilty look in his eye, “I promise.”_

_Nodding she unlocked the door and led them in, stopping when she saw a strange light coming from Sammy's room. A bad gut feeling took over when she realized all of the lights were off when she left to find Dean. Turning she motioned for Dean to be quiet and hide before she quietly picked up the rife that was leaning by the door._

_When she quietly opened Sammy's door she saw him lying outside of the covers as a hooded figure leaned over him menacingly. After she cocked the rifle the monster reared up and hissed at her. The first shot she fired she hit the thing in the chest but instead of it dying or fleeing it hissed angrily again and charged supernaturally fast right for her._

_Just then John burst through the front door, gun raised, “Get out of the way!”_

_Angel ducked, running over to stand protectively in front of Dean as John shot the shtriga multiple times with his hand gun. The shtriga jumped through the bedroom window making glass shatter everywhere._

_“Sammy…” John rushed to Sam's bed and cradled him close, “Sammy. You okay?”_

_As Sam woke up he looked around in confusion, his voice thick with sleep, “Yeah Dad, what's going on?”_

_“Are you alright?” John asked again as he held Sam to his chest tightly, his eyes snapped to Angel and Dean once Sam nodded, “What happened?”_

_Dean looked from Angel to him with wide eyes, “I- I-”_

_“It was my fault, Dad.” Angel interjected, stepping in front of her brother, “I was just gone for a second.”_

_“What!? I told you not to leave this room!”_

_Dean looked between his older sister and father, “Dad-”_

_“I know, Dad. I- I’m sorry.”_

_“I told you not to let them out of your sight!”_

_Angel's mouth snapped shut and she nodded at her father. She and Dean both watched sadly as John cradled Sammy, a look of fear ever precedent on his face._

“Dad just… grabbed us and booked. Dropped us off at Pastor Jim's about three hours away, but…” Dean frowned sadly, “By the time he got back to Fort Douglas the shtriga had disappeared, it was just _gone_. It never surfaced until now.”

“Dad never spoke about it again.” Angel continued when Dean trailed off, “Of course we never _asked_ about it either but… shortly after that he started taking me on hunts with him. Guess he thought if i saw things head on i wouldn’t disobey him again.”

“He treated Angel differently after that. She took most of the heat but he knew it was my fault. I could see it in his face. He, uh, he _looked_ at me differently, you know?” Guilt riddled Dean, “Not that i blame him. I’m the one who didn't listen when he gave us an order, and I almost got you killed.”

Sam looked between them, his voice soft, “You were just a kid.”

“ _Don't_ .” Deans jaw tensed, “Dad _knew_ this was unfinished business for me. He sent me here to finish it.”

“But using Michael… I don't know Dean.” Sam shook his head, “I mean, how about one of us hides under the covers, you know, _we'll_ be the bait.”

“No, that won't work.” Dean dismissed, “It's gotta get close enough to feed. It'll see us.” His eyes flickered between the two of them, “Believe me, I don't like it, but it's _gotta_ be the kid.”

**_At the motel reception area…_ **

“You’re crazy!” Michael yelled at them as he held up the motel landline, “Just go away or I'm calling the cops!”

“Just listen for a second, Micheal. We’re telling the truth.” Angel searched his eyes as she explained, “This thing came through the window and it attacked your brother. I've seen it and so has my brother Dead.” She motioned up at him and he nodded, “We both know what it looks like. Because it attacked our brother Sam once too.”

Michael stared at her in fear as he slowly hung up the phone, “This thing… is it… like… it has this long… black robe?”

Dean studied him, “You saw it last night didn't you?”

“I thought I was having a nightmare…”

“Listen… it breaks my heart to tell you this but…” Angel frowned as she looked him over sadly, “Sometimes nightmares are real.”

“So, why are you telling me?”

“Because we need your help.”

“ _My_ help?”

“We can kill it.” Dean continued, “The three of us, that's what we do. But we can't do it without you.”

“What?” He squeaked, “No!”

“Michael, _listen to me_ .” Dean met his eye, “This thing _hurt_ Asher. And it's gonna keep hurting kids unless we stop it, understand me?”

Michael stared at him in horror before his eyes flashed between Angel and Sam.

**_Back in the motel room…_ **

“Well that went crappy.” Dean grumbled, “Now what?

“What did you expect?” Sam shook his head as he sat down, “You can't ask an _adult_ to do something like that, _much less a kid_.”

When Angel answered the knock at the door she was surprised to see Michael standing there, “If you kill it, will Asher get better?”

Angel turned back and shared a look with her brothers, “Honestly? We don't know.”

“You said those guys are your little brothers…” He continued at her nod, “You'd take care of them? You'd do _anything_ for them?”

Without missing a beat she nodded again, “Yeah, I would.”

“Me too…” He took a deep breath, “I'll help.”

**SECTION FOUR**

**_In Michaels room…_ **

Dean completed hooking up a security camera in the corner of the room as he stared into the lense. Michael was behind him in bed as Angel sat next to him and Sam was watching the security feed in the other room.

“This camera has night vision on it so we'll be able to see you clear as day.” Dean explained before raising his voice for Sam, “Are we good?”

“A hair to the right.” Dean adjusted the camera, “There, there.”

Michael looked at Angel with a little fear in his voice, “What do I do?”

“We just want you to stay under the covers.”

“And if it shows up?”

“We'll be right in the next room. We're gonna come in with guns. So, as soon as we do you roll off this bed and you crawl under it, okay?”

He nodded but tensed after a second, “What if you shoot _me_?”

“We won't shoot you. We're good shots.” Dean answered, noting the unsureness in the kids eyes, “We're not gonna to fire until you're clear, okay?” 

At Michaels tentative nod Angel continued, “Have you heard a gunshot before?”

“Like… in the movies?”

“It's gonna be a lot louder than in the movies. So… Just stay under the bed, cover your ears, and do _not_ come out until we say so. Can you do that for me?”

He nodded slowly and neither Dean nor Angel missed the fear in his eyes, “Michael, you sure you wanna do this?”

He stayed silent, not meeting either of their eyes.

“You don't have to, it's okay.” Angel nodded, finally getting him to meet her eyes, “We’re not gonna be mad.”

“No I'm okay.” He nodded quickly, trying to sound brave, “Just don't shoot me.”

“We're not going to let anything happen to you.” Dean met his eyes, “I promise.”

**_Later on…_ **

The three Winchesters sat in the other room and watched the security camera feed quietly.

Dean broke the silence, “What time is it?”

“Three.” Sam answered after checking his watch, “You guys sure these iron rounds are gonna work?”

“ _Consecrated_ iron rounds.” Angel corrected before nodding, “It's what Dad used last time.”

“Hey guys…” Sam frowned when they looked over to him, “I'm sorry.”

Angel gave him a questioning look as Dean spoke, “For what?”

“You know, I've really given you guys a lot of crap, for always following Dad's orders. But… I know _why_ you do it.”

“Oh, god, _kill me now_ .” Angel and Sam both laugh softly at their brother before sitting in silence, Dean breaking it again when something caught his eye, “Wait, _look_.”

On the screen the movement noticed outside the window just before it slid open. The three of them instantly picked up their guns as the shtriga came inside Michaels room.

Sam looked to them, “Now?”

Dean shook his head, “Not yet.” 

They watched the thing move closer and lean over the bed as Michael watched it in terror. He was frozen in place, unable to move. The shtriga leaned closer and opened his mouth, starting to draw Michaels energy just as the Winchesters burst in.

“Hey!”

“Michael, down!”

Michael quickly rolled off and under the bed just before Angel, Sam and Dean opened fire, each shooting the shtriga multiple times before it fell to the ground stiffly.

“Mike, buddy…” Angel called after their firing ceased, “You all right?”

His voice shook from under the bed, “Y- yeah.”

“Okay, good.” Angel nodded to Dean, “You just stay where you are until I tell you to come out, okay?”

“Okay.”

Dean approached the shtriga, gun at the ready. When he noticed there was no movement he relaxed slightly and glanced at Angel and Sam. The shtriga suddenly rose, grabbed Dean by the throat and threw him against the wall.

“Dean!”

The shtriga moved forward, throwing Angel and Sam seperate directions and making them hit the ground painfully. It jumped on top of Sam and forced his mouth open. As he struggled to reach his gun, it began drawing his energy and he soon stilled as his body turned grey. Angel came too and tried to blink the black dots away from her vision as she frantically searched for her gun in the rubble.

“Hey!”

Angel and the shtriga look up just before Dean shot it between the eyes. It fell backwards, dead this time, as Sam lied gasping for breath. 

Angel slumped onto the wall in relief as Dean shot a look to Sam, “You okay, little brother?”

Sam nodded and unsteadily held two thumbs up. 

“Ang?”

“Peachy.”

The three of them pulled themselves to their feet and looked to the shtriga. The energy the shtriga stole began to escape from its mouth. Dean raised his gun and shot it three more times at point blank range. More energy escaped before the shtriga fell in on itself, disintegrating.

Michael peeked from the side of the bed meeting Angels eyes, “It's okay, buddy. You can come on out.”

He came to stand beside them, smiling tentatively. Dean placed his hand on Michaels shoulder and smiled.

**SECTION FIVE**

Angel, Dean and Sam were all packing the Impala getting ready to head out when Michaels mom came out of the back of reception.

“Hey, Joanna.” Angel walked up to her, “How's Asher doing?”

She looked at the blonde worriedly, “Have you seen Michael?”

“Mom!” Michael ran up excitedly, calling for her, “Mom!”

She hugged him tightly with a smile, “Hey!”

“How's Ash?”

“Got some good news.” She smiled, “Your brother's gonna be fine.”

Michael grinned, “Really?”

“Yeah. Really. No one can explain it- it's a miracle.” Angel shared a look with her brothers as she spoke, “They're going to keep him in overnight for observation and then he's coming home.”

Dean smiled, “That's great.”

“How are all the other kids doing?”

“Good.” Joanna nodded at Sam, “Real good. A bunch of them should be checking out in a few days. Dr. Travis says the ward's going to be like a ghost town.”

“Dr. Travis?” Angel raised a brow, “What about Dr. Hydecker?”

“Oh… he wasn't in today.” She shrugged, “Must have been sick or something.”

“Yeah. Yeah must have.”

Joanna looked down at Michael, “So, did anything happen while I was gone?”

He glanced at the Winchesters earning a wink from Angel, “Nah, same old stuff.”

“Okay, well you can go see Ash.”

He nearly bounced from excitement, “Now?”

Michael looked to Dean who nodded slightly before Joanna spoke, “Only if you want to.” She laughed as he bolted to the car, “I, ah, I'd better get going before he hotwires the car and drives himself.”

Smiling goodbye, she left and the Winchesters turned back to the Impala.

“It's too bad…”

Dean shrugged Sam off, “Oh, they'll be fine.”

“That's not what I meant. I meant Michael. He'll always know there are things out there in the dark- he'll never be the same, you know?” The three of them shared a long emotional pause before he continued, “Sometimes I wish that…”

Angel studied him sadly, “What?”

“I wish I could have that kinda innocence.”

They watched as Joanna and Michael drove away before Dean spoke slowly, “If it means anything… sometimes I wish you could too.”

Angel sighed deeply, sadness in her eyes, “Yeah…”

They three exchanged emotional looks before Dean climbed into the car and started the engine. Angel winked at Sam before they both followed suit and they pulled out of the motel car park and back onto the freeway.


	12. Dead Man's Blood

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After Daniel Elkins, a vampire hunter and John's mentor, is murdered, Angel, Sam and Dean are surprised when John himself shows up to solve the case. John discovers the vampires have taken an antique gun, which has the power to kill all supernatural beings. The Winchester family sets out to retrieve the gun from the vampires so they can use it to kill the demon that took Angel, Sam and Dean's mother.

**DISCLAIMER:** I only own my character! Anything you might recognize is courtesy of the CW.

  
**WARNING:** Some of these episodes/chapters may contain graphic violence, cursing, mentions of suicide or assault and other triggering aspects. Proceed with caution please.

_Previously skipped: Provenance…_

**_In a cafe…_ **

Dean flipped through a newspaper as Sam sat on his laptop and Angel fiddled with her phone. She was debating whether or not to call Asa. He wasn't exactly happy she kicked him off the case a few weeks ago, so they haven't talked, but it's not like she really had a choice. She had already lost so many people she cared about because of this thing, she was scared Asa was going to be next.

Dean looked up at her, “Just call him.” 

“I didn't realize I needed permission.”

“Well I'm tired of seeing you stare at the thing.” He said, folding the paper and sighing, “We dont got a decent lead in all of Nebraska.”

Angel turned, “Anything Sammy?”

“Well, I've been scanning Wyoming, Colorado, South Dakota. _Here_.” He shrugged, “A woman in Iowa fell 10,000 feet from an airplane and survived.”

Dean shook his head, “Sounds more like ‘ _That's Incredible_ ’ than, uh, ‘ _Twilight Zone_ ’.”

Angel shrugged, “Maybe if she… floated in mid air before landing gracefully on her feet or something like that.”

“Yeah.” 

Dean smirked, “Hey you know we could just keep heading east. New York. _Upstate_ . We could drop by and see _Sarah_ again, huh?” Sam's eyes lifted at the mention of the girl from their previous case, making Angel grin, Dean whistled, “Cool chick man, _smokin’_.”

Angel smirked as she took a sip of her coffee, “She was pretty hot, Sammy.” At their curious eye she shrugged, “What? I can appreciate the female body.”

Dean shrugged, continuing, “You two seemed pretty friendly. What do you say?”

“Yeah, I dunno, maybe someday. But in the meantime we got a lot of work to do. You guys know that.”

“Yeah, alright.” Dean frowned, “What else you got?”

“Ah, man in Colorado… Local man named Daniel Elkins was found mauled in his home.”

“Elkins?” Dean repeated as Angel frowned at that information, “I know that name.”

Sam shook his head, “Doesn't ring a bell.”

“He was an old hunting buddy of Dads.” Angel filled in taking out their Dads journal, “They had a falling out when you two were still too small to hunt. Nice guy. _Here_ .” She hands the journal off to them, “‘ _D Elkins 970-555-0158_ ’, Daniel Elkins. If it's the same guy.”

Dean looked at her, “It's a Colorado area code.” He turned to Sam, “What happened to him?”

“Sounds like the police don't know what to think. At first they said it was some sort of bear attack and now, they've found some signs of robbery.”

“Mm-hmm.” Dean nodded as he stood, “Sounds like our gig.”

**_Daniel Elkins cabin…_ **

Sam slowly and quietly picked the lock of the door allowing the three to walk in cautiously. They all had their guns raised and their flashlights out.

Dean looked around at the trashed cabin as they spread out, “Looks like the maid didn't come today.”

“Hey, there's salt over here.” Sam called, “Right beside the door.”

“Definitely dad's friend.” Angel commented from the other end, “There's more over here. Think he was expecting someone?”

“Maybe.”

Dean flipped through a journal on a table as Sam and Angel came up behind him, “Hunters journal?”

“Yep, dates back to the _60’s_.”

The three moved into the other room and shined their flashlights around the destruction, including up at a giant hole in the roof. 

Angel shook her head, “Whatever attacked the poor bastard wasn't alone…”

“Yeah…” Dean agreed as he crouched to get a closer look at something on the floor, “Looks like he put up a hell of a fight too.” 

Sam came over, “You got something?”

“I dunno… Some scratches.”

“Death throes maybe?”

“Yeah, maybe.”

Angel grabbed a page from a notebook as well as a pencil and handed it over, “Here.”

Dean placed it over the marks and rubbed a pencil lead over it to get an outline, “Or maybe a message.” Once he peeled up the paper, which was spotted with blood and the rubbings of characters, he handed it back to Angel, “Look familiar?”

“Three letters, six digits.” She read it and scoffed, “The location and combination of a post office box. _It's a mail drop_.”

Sam swallowed, “Just the way Dad does it.”

“This is eery, boys.”

**_Later on…_ **

After going to the post office box and removing the letter that was inside the three of them headed to the safety of the impala. 

After getting in, Angel leaned into the front as Sam looked at them both, “‘ _J.W._ ’ You think? _John Winchester_?”

“Definitely…” Angel nodded, “It's gotta be for dad.”

“I don't know…” Dean shook his head, “Should we open it?”

A knock at Dean's window startled them all. He gasped, reared back, automatically raising his arm, fist clenched but instead of fighting shock resonated on his face. Their Dad stood there, smiling at the three shocked expressions that looked up at him.

Dean scoffed, “Dad?”

John immediately got in the backseat with Angel and grinned madly at his daughter, “Hey sweetie.” His grin moved to his sons, “Boys.”

Angel gave him a hug, pulling back in shock, “What the hell are you doing here?”

“Yeah…” Sam looked him over, “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I'm okay. I read the news about Daniel, I got here as fast as I could. I saw you three at his place.”

Sam's voice stayed soft, “Why didn't you come in, Dad?”

“ _You know why_ . Because I had to make sure you weren't followed.... by _anyone_ or _anything_.” He smiled proud, “Nice job of covering your tracks by the way.”

Dean looked proud as well, “Yeah, well, we learned from the best.”

“Wait…” Sam stopped, “You came all the way out here for this Elkins guy?”

“Yeah.” John nodded, “He was… he was a good man. He taught me a hell of a lot about hunting.”

Angel smirked to her brothers, “Told you they were good friends.”

Sam motioned between him and Dean, “Well you never mentioned him to _us_.”

“Angel met him by chance. He helped out on a few cases we were on together. We had a… we had kind of a falling out. I hadn't seen him in years.” He gestured to the envelope, “I should look at that.” Once they handed it over for him to read, he frowned, “‘ _If you're reading this, I'm already dead_ ’...that _son of a bitch_.”

Dean studied him, “What is it?”

“He had it the whole time.”

“Dad, _what_?”

“When you searched the place, did you see a gun? An antique, _a Colt revolver_ , did you see it?”

“No, no.” Angel quickly answered when his intense gaze came onto her, “Uh there was- there was an old case but it was empty.”

He paled, “They have it.”

“You mean, whatever killed Elkins?”

John hurriedly got out of the car, “We gotta pick up the trail.”

“ _Wait_ .” Sam gaped, “You want us to come _with_ you?”

“If Elkins was telling the truth, _we gotta find this gun_.”

“Dad…” Angel looked to their father curiously, “What's so important about this Colt?”

“Because it's _important_.” He dismissed and she stiffened, immediately shutting up, “Thats why.”

“Dad.” Sam pressed him when Angel silenced, “We don't even know what these things are yet.”

“They were what Daniel Elkins killed best: _Vampires_.”

“ _Vampires_?” Dean repeated, “I thought there was no such thing.”

“You never even mentioned them, Dad.”

“Like _ever_.”

  
John shook his head, “I thought they were extinct. I thought Elkins and- and others had wiped them out. _I was wrong_.” He hurriedly explained, “Most vampire lore is crap. _A cross won't repel them, sunlight won't kill them, and neither will a stake to the heart_. But the bloodlust, _that_ part's true. They need fresh human blood to survive. They were once people, so you won't know it's a vampire until it's too late.”

**SECTION TWO**

Dean and Angel bunked together and were asleep on one bed while Sam slept on the other. John's bag was on the couch but he was wide awake, sitting at the table with a radio held in both hands listening to the dispatchers talk.

_“Unit 22 let me confirm. Mile marker 41, abandoned car. You need a workup?”_

_“Copy that. Possible 207. Better get forensics out here.”_

John put the radio down, jumped to his feet and grabbed his jacket. 

He walked over and slapped his kids feet as he called their name to wake them, “ _Angel, Sam, Dean_ , let's go.”

Dean answered immediately, although still asleep, “Mm-hmm.”

John, knowing she was the hardest to get up, shook his daughter until he saw her eyes open, “ _Angel_.” 

She instantly shot up, gun in hand, “I'm up, i'm going…” Sam half sat up as Dean rubbed his eyes and Angel watched her dad as she started collecting her things, “What's going on?”

“I picked up a police call.”

Sam looked up at him but didn't get up, “What happened?”

“A couple called 911, found a body in the street. Cops got there and everyone was missing. _It's the vampires_.”

At that Sam rose from the bed, “How do you know?”

John didn't turn to answer as he left, “Just follow me, okay?”

Sam walked across the room and put his jacket on as Dean smiled still half asleep, “Huh, _vampires_. Gets funnier every time I hear it.”

**_Later on…_ **

After John finished talking to a cop on the scene he walked back to his kids who were waiting by the Impala. 

Sam sulked, “I don't see why we couldn't have gone over with him.”

Dean scoffed, “Oh, don't tell me it's _already_ starting.”

“ _What's_ starting?”

“Just drop the _tude_ , Sam.” Angel quipped and she pointed to him when he went to argue, “We don't need it right now.”

Dean called to John as he walked up, “What have you got?”

“It was them alright. Looks like they're heading west. We'll have to double back to get around that detour.”

Sam's head went up, “How can you be so sure?”

Dean scolded his tone, “ _Sam…_ ”

Sam's tone turned sharp to Dean, “I just wanna know we're going in the right direction.”

John stared at him, “ _We are_.”

“How do you know?”

John handed something off to Angel, “I found this.”

“Uh…” Her brows furrowed, “A _tooth_?”

Dean gaped, “It's a… a _vampire fang_.”

“Not fangs, _teeth_ . The second set descends when they attack.” He looked at Sam pointedly, “ _Any more questions_?” When he looked away John nodded, “Alright, let's get out of here, we're losing daylight.” They started heading for their respective cars but John's eyes raked over the dirty impala before he sent a glare to his eldest son, “Hey Dean, why don't you touch up your car before you get rust? I would've given the damn thing to Angel if I thought you were going to ruin it.”

Angel gave her dad an exacerbated look as Sam gave both of his siblings an ‘ _told you so_ ’ glare. 

Dean grimaced, “Sorry.”

**_Later on in the impala…_ **

Sam drove, following John's truck as Angel read from the passenger side, “‘ _Vampires nest in groups of eight to ten. Smaller packs are sent to hunt for food. Victims are taken to the nest where the pack keeps them alive, bleeding them for days or weeks_.’”

“Hm.” Dean shifted, “I wonder if that's what happened to that 911 couple.”

“That's probably what Dad's thinking.” Sam commented, sounding extremely grumpy, “ _Course it would be nice if he just told us what he thinks_.”

Dean and Angel looked at each other before Dean shook his head, “So it _is_ starting.”

“ _What_?”

“Sam, we've been looking for Dad all year. Now we're not with him for more than a couple of hours and there's static already?”

“Hmph. _No_ .” He grumbled, “Look, I'm happy he's okay, all right? _And_ I'm happy that we're all working together again.” 

Dean sat back, “Well good.”

“It's just the way he treats us.” Sam scoffed, unable to stop himself, “ _Like we're children_.”

Dean rolled his eyes, “Oh God.”

“ _Stop_ Sam.”

“He barks orders at us, he expects us to follow them without question. He keeps us on some crap _need-to-know_ deal.”

“Sam, just drop this bullshit problem you have with Dad already.” Angel shook her head, giving him a glare, “ _We’re his kids_. No matter how old we are. He lost everything. He works like this for a reason and you know it.”

Sam stiffened, not even wanting to hear it, “ _What_ reason?”

“ _Our job_!” Dean yelled, “There's no time to argue, there's no margin for error, alright? That's just the way the old man runs things.”

“Yeah well maybe that worked when we were kids but not anymore, alright? Not after everything the three of us have been through. I mean, _really_ .” He looked between them challengingly, “Are you guys telling me you're cool with just _falling into line_ , and letting him run the whole show?” 

Both of them gave Sam a long look, Angel looking away. 

Dean answered weakly, as though he was trying to convince himself, “If that's what it takes.”

“Sam, that's how dad’s _always_ been.” Angel shook her head, “There's no changing him. All we can do is fall in line.”

Sam glared and was about to snark something back but Dean's phone rang interrupting him.

“Yeah, Dad. Alright, got it.” He hung up and motioned to Sam, “Pull off at the next exit.”

Anger filled their little brother's voice, “ _Why_?”

“Cause Dad thinks we've got the vampire's trail.”

His anger increased at that, “ _How_?”

“I don't know; he didn't say.”

When Sam gunned the engine, both siblings looked at him like he had lost his mind. Dean turned to look at John's truck as Sam passed him. Once in front, Sam slammed on the brakes, causing the Impala to swerve sideways in front of John's truck. Both vehicles came to a halt just before Sam angrily got out of the car.

“Oh crap.” Dean scoffed following, “Sam!”

“Here we go…” Angel was next as she ran to the other side, “Sam, _calm down_.”

Once John was out of his truck he rushed up to his son, livid, “What the hell was that?”

“ _We need to talk_.”

John came to a halt face to face with Sam, “About _what_?”

“About _everything_.” Sam growled, “Where we going Dad? What's the big deal about this gun?”

“Sammy, _come on_ . We can _Q and A_ after we kill all the vampires.”

“Your brother's right, _we don't have time for this._ ”

“Last time we saw you, you said it was too dangerous for us to be together. Now, _out of the blue,_ you need our help.” Sam's voice instantly rose to a yell from his anger, “Now obviously something big is going down, _and we wanna know what_!”

John, fire in his eyes, stiffly pointed to the impala, “ _Get back in the car_.”

“ _No_.”

“I _said_ get back in the damn car.”

“Yeah. _And I said no_.”

Angel got between them and slightly pushed their dad back, “Alright, alright can we all just relax with the pissing contest?” He let her back him up a little bit so she looked to Dean as she grabbed their dad's arm and started dragging him towards his truck, “ _Dean_.”

“Okay, you made your point tough guy.” He hovered over Sam, “Look, we're all tired, we can talk about this later.” Dean grabbed Sam and pushed him back toward the car, “Sammy, _I mean it_ , come on.” 

Sam listened but still held his glare at John as he mumbled, “This is why I left in the first place.”

John ripped his arm away from Angel and barreled back towards Sam, “What'd you say?”

“Dad!”

Sam swung back as well, “You heard me!”

“Yeah, _you_ left. Your brother, your sister and me- we _needed_ you. _You_ walked away, Sam.” John pushed him before getting in Sam's face, “You walked away!”

“Stop it, both of you!” Angel yelled between them with Dean, “Stop!”

“ _You're_ the one who said _don't come back_ Dad. _You're_ the one who closed that door, not me!” Sam bellowed back, “You were just pissed off that you couldn't control me anymore!”

Dean forced them apart as soon as John grabbed Sam by the shirt, “Listen, stop it, stop it! That's enough!” 

Once separated, the two of them stared each other down over Dean and Angels heads as they got in between

“That means you too, old man.” Angel pushed her dad back softly, “C’mon.”

Sam frustratedly got into the Impala as John listened to Angel and irritatedly stomped over to his truck, Angel following with a scowl. Dean stood in the middle, alone. 

  
He looked from one to the other, his family split, and scoffed into the night air, “ _Terrific_.”

**SECTION THREE**

**_At the vampire’s nest…_ **

From the trees, the Winchesters watched as a beat up Camaro pulled into a large abandoned building. A man in a t-shirt held the door open as he shaded his eyes from the sun.

Another man stepped out of the camaro, “I know what time it is.”

“Get in.”

“ _Son of a bitch_ …” Dean scoffed from the middle of Sam and Angel, “So, they're really not afraid of the sun?”

“Direct sunlight hurts like a nasty sunburn.” John informed, “The only way to kill 'em is by beheading. And yeah, they sleep during the day- _doesn't mean they won't wake up_.”

Dean nodded, “So I guess walking right in's not our best option?”

“Actually…” John smirked, “ _That's_ the plan.”

They walked over to the truck and the impala to start gearing up. John opened up an automatic hidden compartment that slid from the back of his truck as Dean opened the hidden compartment in the impala's trunk. 

“Dad…” Dean looked over as he held up a machete, “I've got an extra machete if you need one.”

“I think I'm okay.” John said as he unveiled a massive shiny serrated edge machete from a leather holder, “Thanks.”

Dean checked it out slightly disappointed, “Wow…”

Angel offered her brother a friendly smile as she took the extra machete from him and put it away.

John turned, “So, you three really wanna know about this Colt?”

Sam's eyes went wide as he looked from his siblings back to his dad, “Yes sir.”

“It's just a story, a _legend_ really. Well, I _thought_ it was. Never really believed it until I read Daniel's letter…” His face became serious, “Back in 1835, when Halley's comet was overhead, the same night those men died at the Alamo… They say Samuel Colt made a gun. _A special gun_ . He made it for a hunter, a man like us only on horseback. Story goes… he made _thirteen_ bullets, and this hunter used the gun a half dozen times before he disappeared, _the gun along with him_ . And _somehow_ Daniel got his hands on it. They say… they say this gun can kill anything.”

“ _Anything…_ ” Angel repeated slowly as she pierced her fathers gaze, “Like the demon that killed mom?” 

“Yeah, the demon…” John nodded painfully, “Ever since I picked up its trail I've been looking for a way to destroy that thing. _Find the gun_ \- we may _have_ it.”

Angel swung the machete with a grin, “Then let's get to work, boys.”

They walked to the side of the barn where John swung the window inward before disappearing inside, followed by Angel and then the boys. They surveyed the room where the Vamps were sleeping in hammocks and all was quiet. John looked into the stalls as Angel followed Sam and Dean. They made their way through the barn being as quiet as they could. As Dean passed a hammock he accidentally kicked an empty bottle on the ground. It clinked around but the vampire next to him didn't wake. Sam found the 911 woman tied up against the pole, unconscious. 

He turned to them hurriedly, “ _Guys_.”

Angel came over and started helping him untie her as Dean looked behind them, “There's more.”

“Get them out.” Angel instructed as she worked on her knot, “But _quietly_.”

Dean nodded and made his way to a locked metal grid. Inside people were tied up, sleeping or unconscious. He noticed a lock on the door and grabbed a metal hook to break it. 

Angel looked up sharply at the noise, “I said _quietly_.” 

They looked over to the hammocks but there was no movement. She and Sam went back to working on the knots that held the woman when she began to stir.

“Hey, hey, shhh.” Sam whispered, “We’re here to help you.”

The woman roared, an unearthly roar. Sam reared back, pulling Angel with him as he readied his machete.

Dean looked around as the other vampires jerked awake, “Guys!”

“Run!” John yelled from the back, “Now!”

The three of them took off, calling for their Dad as they did. The vampires chased them on their heels. They burst out of the barn doors into the daylight and ran up the slope to the cars before turning to look back.

“Dad?” Dean yelled worriedly, tensing when nothing returned, “Dad!”

After a long pause, John came running up the slope. As soon as they saw him the three turned to leave.

“They won't follow. They'll wait till tonight.” John explained grimly, “Once a vampire has your scent, it's for life.”

Dean turned at that, “Well, what the hell do we do now?”

John looked between him and Angel, “You gotta find the nearest funeral home, that's what.”

**_Later on at the motel…_ **

“It shouldn't be taking this long…” Sam paced the floor of the motel room worriedly as John sat at the table, “I should go help.”

“They’ve got it.” John dismissed before he looked up to watch Sam pace, “Sammy.”

“Yeah?”

“I don't think I ever told you this but…” A small smile came over his lips, “The day you were born, you know what I did?”

Sam's brows furrowed, “No.”

“I put a hundred bucks into a savings account for you. I did the same thing for your brother and sister.” He nodded, looking down briefly before returning his eyes to Sams, “It was a _college_ fund. And every month I'd put in another hundred dollars, until…” His voice broke a little so he trailed off, “Anyway my point is, Sam that… This is never the life that I wanted for you.”

Sam studied him, hurt in his eyes, “Then why'd you get so mad when I left?”

“You gotta understand something. After your mother passed, all I saw was _evil_ , _everywhere_ . And all I cared about was keeping you three alive. I wanted you… _prepared. Ready_ . So somewhere along the line I, uh…” Johns eyes saddened as he spoke, briefly breaking eye contact to shake his head at himself, “I _stopped_ being your _father_ and I became your, your _drill sergeant_ . So when you said that you wanted to go away to school, all I could think about, _my only thought was_ , that you were gonna be _alone_ . _Vulnerable_ . Sammy, it just- it never occurred to me what _you_ wanted. I just couldn't accept the fact that you and me- We're just _different_.” When Sam huffed a laugh John eyed him curiously, “What?”

Sam shook his head, “We're not different. _Not anymore_. With what happened to Mom and Jess…” He laughed sadly, “Well, we probably have a lot more in common than just about anyone.”

John smiled sadly at the realization, “I guess you're right, son.”

After a moment of silence, Sam gave his father a curious look, “Hey Dad? Whatever happened to that college fund?”

John looked at him for a beat before answering, “ _Spent it on ammo_.”

They stared at each other before the both of them cracked up with laughter. Dean and Angel entered just then, interrupting the moment.

“ _Whew_.” Dean chuckled, “Man, some heavy security to protect a bunch of dead guys.”

John studied them, “Get it?”

Angel grinned, taking the Dead Man's Blood out of her jacket pocket and handing it over, “Nothin a little flirting can't take care of.”

John smiled between them with pride before he sat the bottle down and looked at them knowingly, “You know what to do.”

**_On a deserted road…_ **

Dean and Angel both leaned over the open bonnet of the Impala as they looked over the engine. 

A woman's voice sounds behind them, “Car trouble?” They turned to see a brunette woman smiling over at them beside a burly blonde man, “Let us give you a lift. We’ll take you back to our place.”

“Nah, we’ll pass.” Dean grinned looking from his sister back to the woman, “Usually draw the line at necrophilia.”

“ _Oh_.”

She backhands him as the other vampire's arm whipped out and he grasped Angel by the throat. The woman grabbed Dean face and lifted him into the air next to her

“Jesus.” Angel latched onto the guy's arm as she choked, “A little testy tonight, guys?” 

She choked but sent a worried look to her little brother as he grabbed onto the woman's wrist, “I don't usually get this friendly until the second date but…”

She smiled, “You know, we could have some _fun_.” She winked over to Angel as well, “I always like to make new friends.” 

She lowered Dean to her level so she could kiss him on the mouth as she held his cheeks tightly.

The vamp guy turned to Angel who glared down at him as she struggled in the air, “Don't even _think_ about it, Shrek.”

“Oh.” Dean scoffed when the woman separated from him, “ _Whuf_ . Sorry. I don't usually stay with a chick that long. _Definitely not eternity_. And uh my sister already has a man so your shit outta luck both ways sweetheart.”

An arrow pierced the male vampires back making him drop Angel. She gasped in air before quickly kicking out so they were separated by more than a few feet. A second later the same happened to the woman.

She looked down at the point sticking out of her chest, “ _Dammit_.” John and Sam quickly emerged from the trees carrying crossbows, “It barely even stings.”

John smiled, “Give it time sweetheart. That arrow's soaked in dead man's blood. It's like _poison_ to you isn't it?” She looked shocked before she stumbled and lost consciousness, Dean catching her, “Load her up.” He gestured to the male vamp as he readied his machete, “I'll take care of this one.”

John approached the other vampire who was sitting groggily on the ground. Raising his machete, he brought it down and instantly decapitated him.

**SECTION FOUR**

After starting a fire to burn the body, John handed Dean a bag. They moved from the Impala's trunk back toward the fire where Sam and Angel are patrolling with machetes.

“Toss this on the fire. _Saffron, skunk's cabbage and trillium_ . It'll block our scent and hers, until we're _ready_.”

Dean sniffed it and coughed, disgusted, “Stuff stinks!”

Angel shook her head, “What do you expect from something called _skunks cabbage_?”

John smirked, “Dust your clothes with the ashes, and you stand a chance of not being detected.”

“You sure they'll come after her?”

“Yeah.” John nodded at Sam, “Vampires mate for life. She means more to the leader than the gun. But the blood sickness is going to wear off soon, so you don't have a lot of time.”

“A half hour oughta do it.”

“And then I want you out of the area as fast as you can.”

“ _What_?”

“But…”

Angel frowned, “Dad you can't take them all out yourself.”

“I'll have _her_ . And the _Colt_.” He said pointedly, not wavering, “I won't be alone.”

“But after… We're gonna meet up, right? Use the gun _together_ . Right?” After John's silence and when he looked away from them Sam scoffed, “You're leaving again, aren't you? _You still wanna go after the demon alone_. You know, I don't get you. You can't treat us like this!”

“Like _what_?”

“Like _children_.”

“You _are_ my children. I'm trying to keep you _safe_.”

“Dad…” Dean shook his head, not buying it, “All due respect but, uh, that's a bunch of crap.”

Angel, Sam and John all look equally shocked, “Dean…”

John scoffed, “ _Excuse_ me?”

“No, Angel, it is a bunch of crap.” Sam stopped their sister from intervening, “Let him talk.”

“You know what… Angel, Sammy and I have been hunting. _Hell_ you sent us on a few hunting trips yourself. You can't be _that_ worried about keeping us safe.” He turned to Angel, “And you cant be okay with sitting this one out. Your whole life has been leading up to this fight, after we get the colt, and you're gonna let him tell you _no_?”

Angel pursed her lips turning her green eyes to her dad, that familiar determined look in her eye, “He's right, Dad.” She searched Johns face, “You've sent us all over the country on hunts. You can't expect us to sit back for this one…”

“It's not the same thing.”

“Then what is it? Why do you want us out of the big fight? _Huh_ ? Because I saw mom die too. Angel and I _lived_ that with you. You don't think I or _all of us_ get to be a part of this fight _with_ you?”

John took a steadying breath, “This demon? _It's a bad son of a bitch_. I can't make the same moves if I'm worried about keeping you three alive.”

Dean glared as he corrected him, “You mean you can't be as _reckless_.”

“ _Look_ … I don't expect to make it out of this fight in one piece. Your mother's death… it almost _killed_ me. I can't watch my children die too. _I won't_.”

“What happens if _you_ die?” Dean asked, “Dad, what happens if you die, and _we_ coulda done something about it? You know… I've been thinking. I think maybe… Maybe Sammy's right about this one. We should do this _together_ .” Sam nodded at his word and much to John's surprise so does Angel, “We're stronger as a _family_ , Dad. _We just are_ . You _know_ it.”

John remained unwavered, “We're running out of time. You do your job and you get out of the area. _That's an order_.” 

Dean looked down as he became emotional. Angel glared at their fathers back and Sam clenched his jaw.

**_At the vampire nest…_ **

After a vampire takes a swig from his bottle. He moved to stand in front of the barn doors, considered them a moment, then shrugged and took another swig. 

When he turned he ran smack dab into Dean, “ _Boo_.” Dean swung his machete before making his way back to the locked container of people, “I told you I'd come back.”

  
  


After freeing all the prisoners the three of them grabbed the crossbows and hightailed it to where their dad was supposed to be. They got there just as the woman vampire swung around and knocked John back against his truck. He dropped the gun and the leader, Luther, approached him quickly. He backhanded John against his open car door, shattering the glass before he landed unconscious on the ground. Luther started towards him before an arrow pierced one of his vampire followers.

The three Winchester kids ran out of the trees, making themselves known. Dean paused to line up and shoot another vamp with his crossbow. Sam moved toward Luther who backhanded him as Angel engaged in a fight with another woman vamp. The woman punched her down before kicking her in the ribs. She picked the blonde up and slammed her against the truck.

Dean grabbed a machete and turned to help them but Luther had his arm around Sam's throat, “ _Don't_! I'll break his neck. Put the blade down.” 

For a moment Dean did nothing so Luther tightened his hold on Sam's neck as the woman's hold on Angel tightened making her squirm in pain. At the sight of them Dean instantly dropped the machete.

“You _people_ . Why can't you leave us alone? _We_ have as much right to live as _you_ do.”

John got up just then, speaking from behind them, “I don't think so.”

Luther turned just as John raised the colt and shot him between the eyes. Luther dropped Sam, who stumbled away, gasping. Dean pulled Sam behind him as John pointed the Colt at the vampire holding down Angel. The woman let her go and Dean grabbed her as well, pulling her to them. 

With Luther, a sigil appeared where the bullet hit him between the eyes. He stumbled for a second before a brief flash of light reflected his skeleton. Then he fell to his knees.

Kate, his mate, cried out in horror, “Luther!” 

  
Another flash of light passed through Luther before he slumped to the ground, _dead_. Kate angrily made a move toward John but another vamp grabbed her and pulled her to their car. They took off, wheels screaming as John smiled in satisfaction.

**SECTION FIVE**

As Angel and the boys packed up their room, John entered.

He watched them for a second before he put his hands in his pockets, “ _So_.” 

The three of them slowly turned to face him, preparing themselves for his anger. 

Angel looked up at him from between her brothers, “Yes sir?” 

“You ignored a _direct_ order back there.”

Sam nodded slowly, “Yes sir.”

Dean nodded but his glare met Johns immediately, “ _Yeah_ but we saved your ass.”

Sam and Angel both looked sideways at Dean, nervously. 

John looked steadily at him and he swallowed, “You're right.”

Surprise hit him, “ _I am_?”

“It scares the hell out of me. You three are all I've got, but… I guess we _are_ stronger as a family.” He took a steadying breath, “So… we go after this damn thing. _Together_.”

The three of them grinned, and in unison said, “Yes sir.”


	13. Salvation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sam has a vision of a family being attacked in the same manner as the attack on his mom, so he, Angel, Dean and John head off to Salvation, Iowa, to save this family and finally kill the demon using the Colt gun.

**DISCLAIMER:** I only own my character! Anything you might recognize is courtesy of the CW.

**WARNING:** Some of these episodes/chapters may contain graphic violence, cursing, mentions of suicide or assault and other triggering aspects. Proceed with caution please.

**_Blue Earth, Minnesota…_ **

A Pastor stood at his pulpit. When a wind ruffled his hair and the candles on the altar he looked up to see Meg enter the church.

“Good Morning. Can I help you?”

The Pastor came down from the pulpit as Meg walked forward and sat in a pew, “I kinda… _I need to talk_.”

He nodded as he came to lean on the pew in front of her, noting her upset appearance, “Well, that's what I'm here for.”

“I've done some things. Not _good_ things.”

“There's always forgiveness for us if we seek it.”

“For everyone?” She looked up at him with wide eyes, “Are you sure?”

“I like to say, ‘ _salvation was created for sinners_ ’.” He studied her for a beat, “Tell me what's on your mind.”

“Well…” Meg sighed deeply, “I've lied. _Alot_ . I've _stolen_ . I've _lusted_ . And the other day I met this man. A _nice_ guy, you know? We had a really good chat, sort of like this… _then I slit his throat and ripped his heart out through his chest_.” Meg blinks, causing her eyes to black and the Pastor jerks back at the sight, “Does that make me a bad person?”

“I know what you are.” The Pastor backed away in fear, “You can't be here. This is _hallowed_ ground.”

“ _Please_ .” Meg stood as she smirked, “Maybe that works in the minor leagues. _But not with me_.”

The Pastor turned and ran for the door behind the pulpit and down the stairs. He unlocked a door and rushed inside, sliding a ready to go barricade across the door. He turned to a well stocked hunter's chest of weapons and started scrambling around for something. Meg kicked open the door with ease, breaking the wood barricading it. The Pastor jumped, then threw a knife covered in Sigils at her head. 

She caught it easily, “You throw like a girl.”

“What do you want?”

“ _The Winchesters_.”

“I haven't spoken to John Winchester in over a year. You're wasting your time. Even if I _did_ know where they were, _I'd never tell you_.”

She smiled, “I know.”

Instantly she slit his throat with his own knife. He fell back into a chair, gasping, before dying a few seconds later. Meg smiled as she studied her work before turning and walking away.

**_Manning, Colorado…_ **

The Winchesters motel room walls were covered with information on the yellow eyed demon. _Weather charts, hieroglyphics, pictures, newspaper articles, written notes, a shelf of books and more_. John sat at a paper strewn desk, the Colt in front of him. Angel was sitting on the bed, and Sam leaned against the counter while Dean paced.

“So this is it. This is everything I know.” John said, “Look, our whole lives we been searching for this demon, right? _Not a trace_ , just… _nothing_. Until about a year ago. For the first time I picked up a trail.”

Dean nodded, “And that's when you took off.”

“Yeah. That's right. The demon must have come out of _hiding_ , or _hibernation_.”

Angel eyed him, “And you found the trail?”

“It starts in Arizona, then New Jersey, California. Houses burned down to the ground. It's going after _families_ , just like it went after us.”

Sam's head came up, “Families with infants?”

“Yeah.” John kept his gaze to Sam knowingly, “The night of the kid's six-month birthday.”

  
  


“I was six months old that night?”

“ _Exactly_ six months.”

“So basically, this demon is going after these kids for some reason.” Sam scoffed, “The same way it came for me? So _Mom's_ death… _Jessica_ . It's all because of _me_?”

Dean turned to him, “We don't know that, Sam.”

“ _Oh really_? Cause I'd say we're pretty damn sure, Dean.”

Frustration built up in Dean, “ _For the last time_ , what happened to them was _not_ your fault.”

“Yeah, you’re right.” Sam shouted back at him, “It's not my fault but it's my problem!”

Angel looked between them, “Boys…”

“No it's not _your_ problem it's _our_ problem!”

Angel raised her voice so they'd listen, “ _Boys_!”

John stood, “That's enough.” 

Everyone took a breath and calmed down as they stared at one another, “So why is it doing it?” Sam asked, “What does it want?”

“Look, I wish I had more answers, _I do_. I've always been one step behind it.” John looked down, unhappy, “Look, I've never gotten there in time to save…”

Dean's jaw tensed but he moved on, “Alright so how do we find it… _before_ it hits again.”

“There's signs. It took me a while to see the pattern, but it's there in the days before these fires, _signs_ crop up in an area. _Cattle deaths, temperature fluctuations, electrical storms_. And then I went back and checked…” He trailed off as he made eye contact with Angel, “And…” 

Realization flowed through her, “These things happened in _Lawrence_.”

John nodded, “A _week_ before your mother died. _And_ in Palo Alto… before Jessica. And these signs, they're starting again.”

“Where?”

“Salvation Iowa.”

**_On the road…_ **

John's truck sped along a misty road, followed closely by the Impala. After a few moments he pulled off to the side, the Impala followed and everyone leapt out of their seats.

Pain filled John's voice when he got out of his truck and slammed his door, “Damn it!” 

Dean looked him over, “What is it?”

“Son of a _bitch_.”

“ _What is it_?”

“I just got a call from Caleb…” John turned to his kids, grief in his eyes, “Jim Murphy’s dead.”

“Pastor Jim?” Sam scoffed in disbelief, “ _How_?”

“His throat was slashed. _He bled out_ . Caleb said they found traces of _sulfur_ at Jim's place.”

“A _demon_ .” Dean said, earning a nod, “ _The_ Demon?”

“I don't know. Could be he just got careless, he slipped up. Maybe the demon knows we're getting close.”

“Okay… so we regroup…” Angel ran her hands through her hair as she tried to push back her grief, “What do you wanna do?”

John shuffled into action, “ _Now we act like every second counts_ . There's two hospitals and a health centre in this county. _We split up_ , cover more ground. _I want records_ . I want a _list_ of _every_ infant that's going to be six months old in the next week.”

“Dad, that could be _dozens_ of kids. How do we know which one's the right one?”

“We check ‘em all that's how.” John glared at Sam, “You got any better ideas?”

Sam swallowed, sending a look to Dean and Angel, “No, sir.”

John nodded before they all turned back to their cars, but he stopped. Leaning on his truck for a second instead of getting inside.

Dean turned back as he opened his door and paused, “Dad?”

  
“Yeah…” When John turned back to them, he looked visibly shaken and upset, “ _It's Jim_. You know, I can't…” His face hardened, “This ends, _now_. _I'm ending it_. I don't care what it takes.”

**SECTION TWO**

After the four of them did their recon at the hospitals and all met back up at the motel room Sam explained how he had another vision. Since it was new information for John, they were filling him in on everything and he wasn't taking it so well. In fact, the more he heard, the more pissed he got.

Sam sat at the table as he rubbed his temples in pain. Dean and John sat on the end of each bed as Angel stood across from them carefully gauging their fathers reaction. 

When John spoke, his voice was flat, “A _vision_.”

“Yes.” Sam answered slowly and painfully, “I saw the demon burning a woman on the ceiling.”

“And you think this is going to happen to this woman you met because…?”

“Because these things happen _exactly_ the way I see them.”

“It started out as nightmares.” Dean explained as he rose and crossed the room to the counter behind Sam to get more coffee, “Then it started happening while he was awake.”

“Yeah…” Sam winced, “It's like the _closer_ I get to anything to do with the demon the _stronger_ the visions get.”

“There's others like him…” John's eyes snapped to Angel as she started talking, “He's not the only one.”

“Alright.” His voice raised angrily as he directed that anger to his eldest, “When were you going to tell me about this?”

All three of them turned to look at John, who was glaring heavily at Angel, before Dean shook his head, “We didn't know what it meant.”

“Yeah Dad, and-”

John's angry yelling cut her off, “Alright, something like this starts happening to your brother, _you pick up the phone and you call me_!”

“Are you serious?” Angel's anger instantly peaked as she got up and walked toward John, her brothers watching in shock, “ _Call you_ ? I _did_ call you! _All the freakin time_ ! I mean Sam and I _both_ tried to get ahold of you when Dean was dying, _dying_ , Dad! And you never, _not once_ , picked up our phone calls _or_ called us back! Getting you on the phone is next to winning the _lottery_ , old man.”

John studied her sadly as his anger deflated at her words, “You’re right…”

“ _Damn straight_.” At his glare she cleared her throat, “Sorry, sir.”

“I'm not too crazy about this new tone of yours, but you're right… I'm sorry.”

“Look guys, _visions or no vision_ s, fact is, we _know_ the demon is coming _tonight_.” Sam said, reining them in, “And this family's gonna go through the same hell we went through.”

“No they're not.” John shook his head with conviction, “ _No one_ is… _ever_ again.”

When Sam’s phone rang he looked down at it before answering, “Hello?”

_“Sam?”_

Sam stiffened at the familiar voice, “Who is this?”

_“Think real hard. It'll come to you.”_

His face hardened, “ _Meg_.” Angel, Dean and John turned to him at that, “Last time I saw you, you fell out of a window.”

_“Oh yeah, thanks to you. That really hurt my feelings, by the way.”_

“Just your _feelings_ ? That was a _seven-story_ drop.”

_“Let me speak to your Dad.”_

“My Dad…” Sam looked to John, “I don't know where my Dad is.”

_“It's time for the grown ups to talk, Sam. Let me speak to him now.”_

Sam hesitated but handed the phone to John when he walked over and motioned for it, “This is John.”

_“Howdy John. I'm Meg. I'm a friend of your kids. I'm also the one who watched Jim Murphy choke on his own blood.”_

John looked at the floor in grief but Meg trotted on.

_“Still there John-boy?”_

“I'm here.”

_“Well, that was yesterday. Today I'm in Lincoln. Visiting another old friend of yours. He wants to say hi…”_

_Caleb's voice was heard through the phone next, “John, whatever you do don't give-”_

John stiffened at the sound of his friend, “ _Caleb_?” The boys and Angel react to the name instantly, going on alert, “You listen to me. He's got nothing to do with anything. You let him go.”

_“We know you have the colt, John.”_

“I don't know what you're talking about.”

_“Oh, okay. So listen to this.”_

The next thing John heard was Caleb gasping and drowning in his own blood, “Caleb? _Caleb_!”

_“Can you hear that? That's the sound of your friend dying. Now, let's try this again. We know you have the gun, John. Word travels fast. So as far as we're concerned, you just declared war. And this is what war looks like. It has casualties.”_

John's face hardened hatefully, “I'm gonna kill you, you know that?”

_Meg chuckled, “Oh, John, please. Mind your blood pressure. So this is the thing- We're going to keep doing what we're doing, and your friends, anyone who has ever helped you, gave you shelter, anyone you ever loved, they'll all die unless you give us that gun. Starting with your daughter's cute little hunter boyfriend. Bet she won't be too happy when she hears your reason he's the next dead victim.” John quieted as he thought, the boys and Angel close by his side listening and Angel's eyes widened as she heard her threats to Asa, “I'm waiting Johnny. Better answer before the buzzer.”_

John clenched his jaw as he answered begrudgingly, “Okay.”

_“Sorry? I didn't quite get that.”_

“I said _okay_. I'll bring you the colt.”

_“There's a warehouse in Lincoln on the corner of Wabash and Lake. You're gonna meet me there.”_

John shook his head, “It's gonna take me about a day's drive to get there.”

_“Meet me there at midnight tonight.”_

“That's _impossible_. I can't get there in time and I can't just carry a gun on the plane.”

_“Oh. Then I guess your daughter's boyfriend and all your friends die don't they? If you do decide to make it, come alone.”_

**_Later on…_ **

Sam eyed their father, “So you think Meg is a demon?”

“Either that, or she's _possessed_ by one.” John shook his head, “It doesn't really matter.”

Dean asked, “What do we do?”

Angel hung up the phone and turned to them, “Asas been warned. I gave him a list of a few of the people who she might target next. He's gonna keep an eye out…”

“Good.” John nodded then looked at them seriously, “I'm going to Lincoln.”

Angel scoffed, “ _What_?”

“It doesn't look like we have a choice. If I don't go, a lot of people _die_ . Our friends, apparently your hunter boyfriend, _they all die_ …”

“Dad, the demon is coming _tonight_.” Sam countered, “For Monica and her family. That gun is all we got, you can't just hand it over.”

“Who said anything about handing it over?” He smirked mischievously, “Besides us and a coupla of vampires no ones really _seen_ the gun, no one knows what it looks like.”

“So what…” Dean motioned, “You're just going to pick up a ringer at a pawn shop?”

“ _Antique_ store.”

“ _You're going to hand Meg a fake gun and hope she doesn't notice_?”

“Look, as long as it's close, she shouldn't be able to tell the difference.” 

“Yeah but for how long? What happens when she figures it out?”

“I just… I just need to buy a _few_ hours, that's all.”

Sam looked him over and something came to him as he realized what his dad meant, “You mean for the three of us.”

“What?” Angel looked between them then stopped and stared at her father, “You want us to stay here, and kill this demon by ourselves? This is _your_ fight too, Dad!”

He took a deep breath, “I know but look… I want to stop losing people we love. I want _you_ to- to have a _family_ , I want _Sam_ to go to _school_ , I want _Dean_ to have a _home_ . I want…” He turned away from them, “ _I want Mary alive_ . It's just… I just want this to be _over_.”

**_On the side of a muddy back road…_ **

Sam and John stood at the back of his truck, checking weapons as the Impala came toward them. 

When Angel and Dean got out, John turned to them, “You get it?”

“You know this is a trap don't you?” Dean said as he pulled a brown paper bag out of his pocket and handed it to John who pulled out an antique gun, “That's why Meg wants you to come _alone_.”

“I can handle her. I got a whole arsenal loaded. _Holy water, Mandaic, amulets_ …”

Dean looked at him for a long moment, “Dad…”

“What?”

“Promise me something.”

“What's that?”

“This thing goes south just… _get the hell out_. Don't get yourself killed alright? You're no good to us dead.”

“Same goes for you.” There's another intense long pause as the four of them stared at each other emotionally, “Alright, listen to me. They made the bullets _special_ for this colt. There's only four of them left. Without them this gun is useless. _You make every shot count_.”

The three of them answered in unison, “Yes sir.”

“Been waiting a long time for this fight. Now it's here I'm not gonna be in it.” His jaw clenched as he handed the colt off to Dean, “It's up to you three now. It's _your_ fight, _you finish this_ . You finish what I started. _Understand_?”

Sam nodded sadly, “We'll see you soon, Dad.”

“I'll see you later.” 

John gave them one last long look before getting into his truck and leaving, his three kids watching sadly as he pulled away.

**SECTION THREE**

**_At a warehouse…_ **

John pulled up in his truck, got out and checked the antique gun. He then took out rosary beads and a flask of holy water. Looking around expectantly, he saw a tank on a nearby room. Soon he was jogging along an alley, and stopped to check the pipes that ran along it's walls before continuing.

**_At Monica’s house…_ **

Angel sat in the back of the Impala and the boys in the front, the Colt between them. They watched through the window as Monica and her husband finished dinner. 

Sam frowned, “Maybe we could tell them it was a gas leak. Might get them out of the house for a few hours.” 

Dean shook his head, “Yeah and how many times has that actually worked for us?”

“Yeah.” He quieted as he thought some more, “We could always tell them the truth…”

Dean just looks at Sam for a long moment, one eyebrow raised before sending the same look to Angel who smirked at them.

The three of them all dismissed that idea, “Nah!”

“I know, I know. I just… with what's coming for these folks…”

“Maybe if we had a little bit more room for error, little brother.” Angel sighed, “But for this one… we gotta wait for that demon to show itself and then we get it before _it_ gets _them_.”

They looked back at the house for a while before Sam shifted, “I wonder how Dad's doing.”

Dean nodded, “I'd feel a lot better if we were there backing him up.”

“I'd feel a lot better if _he_ were here backing _us_ up.”

“Alright, you two are stressing me.” Angel leaned back, “ _No Dad talk_ … Let's just work the case, please.”

**_Back at the warehouse…_ **

John stood on the roof next to the tank as Meg appeared on the foreground. She slowly looked around then up at the water tank but John was no longer standing there. Once she moved inside, John, who was hiding behind the tank, checked to make sure the coast was clear before climbing the ladder and opening the lid to the tank. He held the rosary up as he spoke in Latin and dropped the rosary into the water.

**_In the Impala…_ **

Sam shook his head, “This is weird…”

Angel eyed him, “What?”

“After all of these years we're finally here. It doesn't seem _real_.”

“We just gotta keep our heads and do our job.” Dean nodded as he looked back to the house, “Like always.”

“Yeah, but this isn't like always.”

“True.”

“Just try to pretend it is.” Angel said, studying the house, “Might make it easier.”

“Listen, uh…” Sam cleared his throat but his eyes betrayed him by getting glossy, “I wanna thank you guys.”

Dean looked back at Angel confused before turning back to him, “For what?”

“For _everything_ . You guys have always had my back, you know? Even when I couldn't count on anyone I could _always_ count on you two. And uh… I don't know I just wanted to let you know, _just in case_.”

“ _Sam_ !” Angel yelled, making both of her brothers jump in surprise, “I _know_ you aren't trying to spiel some goodbye speech to us right now!”

He looked back at her shocked, “What?”

Dean took over, “Don't say just in case something happens to you. Neither of us wanna hear that freaking speech man. _Nobody's_ dying tonight. _Not us, not that family, nobody_ . Except that demon. That evil son of a bitch ain't getting any older than tonight, _you understand me_?”

**_With John…_ **

Meg stood in the middle of the warehouse silently. When she heard a creak, she turned and saw John walking towards her. His glare never left hers as he stopped a few feet away.

“John, you made it.” She smirked as she turned to face him fully, “ _Too bad really_ , I was hoping to peel the skin off Angie's cute little boyfriend.”

His face remained stoic, “ _Sorry to disappoint_.”

“I can see where your kids get their good looks. Though I must admit, considering what they say about you I thought you'd be…” Her eyes raked over him, “ _Taller_ .” John just silently stared at her, “ _Well aren't you the chatty one_ . You wanna get to business? _Fine_.” She stared him down as she walked closer to him, “Why don't you just hand over the gun.”

“If I give you the gun how do I get out of here?”

“ _If you're as good as they say you are I'm sure you'll figure something out_.”

He raised a brow, “Maybe I'll just shoot you.”

“You wanna shoot me, baby? _Go ahead_. It won't end anything. There's more where I came from.” 

John's eyes flashed behind her as another demon, a guy, walked out of the shadows, “Who the hells _that_?”

Meg smirked, “He's not _nearly_ as much fun as I am. I can tell you that. So I suggest you give us the gun.” John stared at the other demon for a long moment before turning back to Meg, “ _Now_ !” Silently John handed it over, butt first, and she checked it out closely before looking back to him, “ _This_ is the colt?” At John's nod she gave the gun to the other demon, “What do you think?”

He looked at it for a beat, pointed it at the ceiling before cocking it and bringing it down to shoot Meg in the chest.

Meg staggered back as she grabbed at the wound, “You _shot_ me! _I can't believe you just shot me_!”

  
The demon looked directly at John before tossing the gun aside, “ _It's a fake_.”

**SECTION FOUR**

“You're _dead,_ John.” Meg growled, “Your _kids_ are _dead_.”

“I’ve never used the gun.” John said as he backed away slowly, “How could I know it wouldn't work?”

“I'm _so_ not in the mood for this.” Meg glared as she advanced on him slowly, “ _I've just been shot_!”

“Well then I guess you're _lucky_ the gun wasn't real.”

“That's _funny,_ John. We're going to strip the skin from your bones, _but that was funny_.”

A noise of gas escaping from a nearby pipe distracted Meg for a split second and John ran into the other room. He locked the door and went down a hatch into the alley he was in earlier, lined with pipes. Meg and the other demon kicked open the door and followed. John reached the other end and turned on a tap so water started gushing over the floor. The other demon, now in front of Meg, paused at the sound but then continued anyway. As he walked through the water his feet began steaming and he jumped backwards, yelling.

“Holy water, John?” Meg called after him as he took off, “ _Real cute_.”

**_At Monica's house…_ **

Dean held his phone to his ear as he frowned, “Dad's not answering.”

“Maybe Meg was late.” Sam offered, “Maybe cell reception is bad.” 

“ _Or_ maybe he's just in the middle of the drop right now.”

Dean didn't look convinced, “Yeah well…” 

The radio in the Impala started to chatter with static making Angel tense, “That's not good…”

Sam rolled the dial on the radio, hearing more static come and go. The wind picked up just then, right before the lights in the house flicker.

“It's coming.” 

They jumped out of the car and ran up to the door. Angel quickly used a card to slide the lock on the front door open so they could enter silently. As they approached the lounge, Angel first, then Sam, Dean was confronted by Monica's husband. He swung a bat at Dean's head but missed.

“Get out of my house!” Dean quickly closed in and grappled with him, grabbing the bat, “Get out of my house!”

“Please.” Sam yelled to him over the commotion, “Mr. Holden, please.” 

“Sir, we’re here to help you!” Angel yelled after, “Calm down!” 

Dean easily took control. He swung the man against the wall and held the bat across his throat.

“Be quiet and listen to me.” Dean demanded, “ _We are trying to help you_.”

“Charlie?” Monica called from upstairs, “Is everything okay?”

Holden yelled, “Monica get the baby!”

Sam yelled at the same time, running with Angel, “Don't go in the nursery!”

“You stay away from her!” 

He struggled to get away from Dean but Dean backhanded him, knocking him unconscious, before putting him over his shoulder in a fireman's lift. Upstairs, Monica, in her nightgown pushed the door to the nursery open. Worry filled her when she saw a dark figure standing over baby Rosie's cot.

“What are you…”

The figure raised his hand and Monica was flung back against the wall. Sam and Angel raced up the stairs and along the corridor as Monica slid up the wall and onto the ceiling. They entered the room and the dark figure turned to them, yellow eyes shining. Angel stopped, remembering those same eyes from when she was a kid and hesitated. She backed up in fear as Sam also froze behind her. 

Monica screamed, “Rosie!”

Sam raised the colt and immediately pulled the trigger but the demon disappeared into smoke. Monica screamed again as she fell to the floor. 

Sam swung around, “Where the hell did it go!?”

Angels eyes darted around the room, “I dont know…”

“My baby!” Monica stood, trying to move toward the cot, but was caught by Sam, “My baby!”

“No wait!”

Monica fought him, “My baby!!”

“It’s okay.” Angel rushed past them, “I got her. Get her out of here, Sam.”

“Rosie!”

“Come on-”

“My baby!”

Sam had to force her out of the room, “Angels got her, come on!”

Angel quickly wrapped the blankets around the baby and pulled her up as the cot exploded into flames. The nursery window exploded outwards, flames shooting out. Smoke filled the entire house as they tried to find their way out. Sam guided Monica to the doorway, both coughing madly, as Angel followed holding the baby.

Holden staggered up but was caught by Dean before he could rush them, “You get away from my family!”

“No, Charlie, don't.” Monica admonished, “ _They saved us_ .” She took the baby from Angel as she started to cry, “I mean they saved _us_.” She smiled at the three of them as her husband put his arms around her, “Thank you.”

Devastated, the three Winchester siblings turn back to the burning house where the demon is silhouetted in the burning nursery, standing completely still. 

Sam angered and started back inside, “It's still in there!”

Angel and Dean grabbed him, “Sam, _stop_!”

“Sam, _no_!”

“Let me go!” He struggled with them angrily, “It's still in there!”

“Sam, _stop_!” Angel pushed him back with Dean, “The house is burning to the ground, you can't go inside.”

“She's right, it's _suicide_.”

“I don't care!”

“We do!” 

Dean pushed him back further until he stopped and the three looked back up as the flames rose and the demon disappeared.

**SECTION FIVE**

**_B_ ** **_ack at the motel…_ **

Dean paced while holding the phone to his ear, listening to it ring out as Sam and Angel sat on the beds watching him, “Come on Dad, answer your phone damn it.” He hung up, “Somethings wrong.”

“You're right, he should've been back by now.” Angel got up worriedly, “What the hell are we supposed to do?” She turned and saw Sam staring at the wall, giving his best bitch face, “Hello, _Sam_ , did you hear us? _Somethings wrong_.”

“If you two had just let me go in there, I coulda ended all this!”

“ _Sam_.” Dean took a steadying breath, “The only thing you would have ended was your life.”

“You don't know that.”

Dean stomped towards him, “So what, you're just willing to sacrifice yourself, is that it?”

“Yeah.” Sam stood, “Yeah you're damn right I am!”

“Well that's not going to happen, not as long as I'm around! Or her!” He pointed to Angel, “Shes not gonna sit around and watch you kill yourself either!”

“What the hell are you talking about, Dean?” Sam scoffed, “We've been searching for this demon our whole lives. It's the only thing we've ever cared about.”

“Sam, I wanna waste it. I do. Okay? But it's not worth dying over.”

“ _What_?”

“ _I mean it_. If hunting this demon means getting yourself killed then I hope we never find the damn thing.”

“That thing killed _Jess_ . That thing killed _Mom_.”

“You said yourself once, that no matter what we do, they're gone, and they're never coming back.”

Sam totally lost it, and grabbed Dean roughly before shoving him hard against the wall, “Don't you say that, _not you_! Not after all this, don't you say that!”

“Stop! Stop fighting!” Angel quickly ran over and separated them, tears in her eyes, “Sammy… He just means… the four of us, that's all we have. Losing one of you guys… I don't think i could handle that.”

Dean nodded, also emotional, “Sometimes I feel like I'm barely holding it together man… and without you or Angel or Dad…”

“ _Dad…_ ” Sam said upset, he turned away walking across the room, “He should have called by now. Try him again.”

Dean raised his phone and dialed one last time but this time there's an answer, one that had his blood running cold.

_Meg's voice ran loud and clear, “You Winchesters really screwed up this time.”_

Dean instantly became angry, “Where is he?”

_“You're never going to see your father again.”_


	14. Devil's Trap

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> On a mission to save their father from Meg, Angel, Sam and Dean seek help from an old family friend, Bobby.

**DISCLAIMER:** I only own my character! Anything you might recognize is courtesy of the CW.

  
**WARNING:** Some of these episodes/chapters may contain graphic violence, cursing, mentions of suicide or assault and other triggering aspects. Proceed with caution please.

**_Salvation, Iowa…_ **

Dean hung up his phone and looked to his siblings grimly, “They’ve got Dad.”

Shock filled Angel, “ _Meg_ has dad?” 

At his nod, Sam stiffened, “What’d she say?”

“I just told you, Sammy.” Dean said clearly upset, “Okay. _Okay_.” 

“We need a plan.” Angel steadied herself on the chair, “A good plan.”

Dean took the Colt and tucked it into the back of his jeans, “I got one.”

Sam watched him as he grabbed his duffle bag, “What are you doing, Dean?”

“We got to go.”

“Why?”

“ _Why_?” Angel scoffed as she loaded her own gun and put it in the holster, “Seriously, Sam? The demon knows we’re here. It’s gonna come straight for us.”

“Not to mention it knows we got the Colt.” Dean said as he put on his jacket, “It’s got Dad. Angels right- _it’s probably coming for us next_.”

“ _Good_ . We’ve still got three bullets left. _Let it come_.”

Dean turned, “Listen, tough guy, we’re not ready, okay? We don’t know how many of them are out there. Now, we’re no good to anybody _dead_.”

“We’re leaving…” Angel turned when Sam didn't follow them out, “ _Now_! Let’s go!”

**_Later on in the Impala…_ **

“I’m telling you guys, we could have taken him.”

“No we _couldn’t_ have Sam.” Angel snapped from the front seat, “Now just drop it, alright? We need to start coming up with a way to get Dad back.”

“They’re probably keeping Dad alive, we just gotta figure out where.” Dean mused, “They’re gonna wanna trade him for the gun.” Sam just shook his head and Dean glanced over at him from the mirror, “What?”

“Dean, if that were true, why didn’t Meg _mention_ a trade?” He became upset, “Dad, he might be…”

“ _Don’t_ .” Angel barked out, “Don't even _think_ those words Sam or I’ll come back there and kick your ass, alright?”

“Look, I don’t want to believe it any more than you guys, but if he is, _all the more reason to kill this damn thing_ . We still have the Colt. _We can still finish the job_.”

Dean scoffed, “Screw the _job_ , Sam!”

“I’m just trying to do what _he_ would want. He would want us to keep going.”

“Quit talking about him like he’s dead already! Listen to me, _everything_ stops until we get him back, you understand me? _Everything_.”

“=We’re not just leaving dad behind.” Angel agreed, “We’re not giving up on him. _That's not happening._ ” 

Sam paused, “So how do we find him?”

“Maybe we go to Lincoln. Start at the warehouse where he was taken.”

“Come on, Dean, you really think these demons are going to leave a trail?”

“Alright, i've had about enough of you.” Angel turned, “If it's not helpful, _don't speak_.”

“He's right…”

Angels eyes snapped to Deans, “ _What_?”

“We need help.”

**_Bobby Singer's House…_ **

The Impala drove into a junkyard, which was owned by their fathers old friend: Bobby Singer. Throughout their childhood Bobby had been like a surrogate father to the three Winchester kids. John would often send them to stay with Bobby for long periods of time either for hunter training or when he needed them out of town for a hunt. They hadn't seen him for a few years though because John hadn't exactly parted on good terms with him.

They passed multiple junk cars around before pulling up to the house that had hubcaps nailed to the side. A large dog was chained to a post and was lying on the hood of an old tow truck. Bobby met them outside and hugged them one by one as he let them in. Inside, there were lore books stacked everywhere. It was untidy and cluttered with papers on every wall. 

Bobby picked up two round silver flasks with crosses on them and handed one to Dean. Sam sat at a cluttered desk reading a very large book as Angel stood walking around and eyeing the place down.

“Here you go.”

“What is this?” Dean studied it, “ _Holy water_?”

“ _That_ one is.” Bobby held out the other flask smiling, “ _This is whiskey_.” 

He waited until Dean took a swig of the holy water before switching flasks with him and then handing off the holy water to Angel.

She eyed him warily, “ _Really_?”

“Humor me.”

She took a swig and then handed it over to Sam, “You know… when Dean offered your name up i wasn't so sure it was a good idea.”

“Nonsense. Your Daddy needs help.”

“Well, yeah, but last time we saw you, I mean, you _did_ threaten to blast him full of buckshot.” Dean laughed, “Cocked the shotgun and everything.”

“Yeah, well, what can I say?” He shrugged, “John just has that effect on people.”

“Yeah…” Dean frowned, “I guess he does.”

“None of that matters now. All that matters is that you get him back.”

“Bobby, this book…” Sam said from his spot, “I’ve never seen anything like it.”

Bobby came over to Sam and sat on the corner of the desk, “Key of Solomon? It’s the real deal, alright.”

“And these, uh, these protective circles. They really work?”

“Hell, yeah. You get a demon in- _they’re trapped. Powerless_. It’s like a Satanic roach motel.”

Sam chuckled as Angel and Dean walked over to join them.

Dean smirked, “Man knows his stuff.”

“Sure does.” Angel grinned, “He's taught us one or two things that's for sure.”

“I’ll tell you something else, too. This is some serious _crap_ you three stepped in.”

“Oh, yeah? How’s that?”

“Normal year, I hear of, say, _three_ demonic possessions. Maybe _four, tops_.”

  
  


Angel nodded, “And this year?”

“This year I heard of _27_ so far.” They gaped at him, “You get what I’m saying? More and more demons are walking among us.”

“A lot more…” Angel scoffed, “Do you know why?”

“No, but I know it’s something _big_ . The storm’s coming, and you three, your Daddy- _you are smack in the middle of it_ .” The dog outside started barking viciously alerting Bobby, “ _Rumsfeld_.” 

As Bobby went over to the window the dog stopped barking with a whine,

He looked out the window and saw the chain hanging broken, the dog nowhere in sight, “Something’s wrong.”

At that moment Meg kicked in the door and sauntered in. The boys and Angel all jump as Dean slipped the holy water flask out of his pocket. 

Meg glared, “No more crap, okay?” Dean came at her, unscrewing the flask, but Meg hit him and sent him flying into a stack of books knocking him out, “ _I said no more crap_ .” Angel instantly stepped in front of her little brother and Bobby, keeping herself between them and Meg as she moved them around her, “I want the Colt, Angel, the _real_ Colt, _right now_.”

The three of them slowly moved across the room, Angel's hand keeping an angry Sam directly behind her, as Meg followed them, “We don’t have it on us, babe.” Angel answered, “We buried it.”

“ _Seriously_ ?” Meg scoffed, “Didn’t I say ‘ _no more crap_ ’? I swear- after _everything_ I heard about you Winchesters, _I got to tell you_ , I’m a little _underwhelmed_ . _First_ , Johnny tries to pawn off a fake gun, and _then_ he leaves the real gun with you three chuckleheads. _Lackluster,_ hunters. I mean, did you _really_ think _I wouldn’t find you_?”

“ _Actually_ .” Dean stepped behind her, “We were _counting_ on it.” 

Meg turned to him but Dean's stare went from her to the ceiling where a large protective symbol was etched.

“ _Gotcha_.”

**_Later on…_ **

After the boys and Angel tied Meg to a chair Bobby brought in a large canister of salt.

“You know…” Meg smirked, “If you wanted to tie me up, all you had to do was _ask_.”

“ _Please_.” Angel rolled her eyes before turning to Bobby, “Nobodys that desperate.”

“I salted the door and windows.” Bobby explained, “If there are any demons out there- _they ain’t getting in_.”

Dean nodded and moved around everyone to stand in front of Meg, “Where’s our father, Meg?”

She raised a brow, “You didn’t ask very nice.”

“Where’s our father, _bitch_?”

“ _Jeeze_ .” Meg frowned, “You kiss your mother with that mouth? Oh wait, I forgot, you _don’t_.”

Dean lunged at her, putting his hands on the chair arms, “You think this is a _game_ ? _Where is he_?! What did you do to him?”

“ _He died screaming._ ” She grinned, “I killed him myself.” Dean stared at her with hate in his eyes before hitting her across the face, “That’s kind of a turn on- _you hitting a girl._ ”

“You’re no _girl_.”

Bobby motioned his head to Angel so she followed him as she motioned to her brother, “ _Dean_.”

“She's _lying_ .” Turning, Dean's pain filled eyes met Angel, “He’s _not_ dead.”

“We know Dean. We know.” Angel nodded at him, trying to convince herself as well, as they stepped aside with Bobby, “What is it Bobby?”

“Dean, you got to be careful with her. _Don’t hurt her_.”

“ _Why_?”

“Because she really _is_ a girl, _that’s_ why.”

Angel raised a brow, “ _What_?” 

Confusion also filled Sam's face, “What are you talking about?”

“She’s _possessed_ . That’s a _human possessed by a demon_. Can’t you tell?”

Dean shifted, “Are you trying to tell me there’s an innocent girl trapped somewhere in there?” Bobbynodded before Dean looked over at Meg, who was staring back at him, “That’s actually good news.”

“How is that _good_ news?” Angel asked but understanding came over her when Dean handed over a familiar book to Sam, “Ah… you wanna _exercise_ her.”

“Damn straight.”

When they moved over to Meg she grinned, “Are you gonna read me a story?”

“Something like that. Hit it, Sam.”

“ _‘Regna terrae, cantate deo, psallite domino…’_ ”

“An _exorcism_?” Meg turned to Dean and Angel incredulously, “Are you serious?”

“Oh yeah.” Angel grinned, “We’re _dead_ serious. Planning on turning you into _Emily Rose_ , baby. _The whole nine_.”

Meg flinched in pain as Sam read from the book loudly.

She looked over her shoulder at him, “ _I’m gonna to kill you_.” She looked at Dean, “I’m gonna rip the bones from your body.” Then to Angel, “And i'm gonna slit your throat after I make you watch.”

Angel grinned, “Charmed, _really_.”

Dean glowered, “No, _you’re gonna burn in hell_. Unless you tell us where our Dad is.” Meg just smiles, “Well, at least you’ll get a nice tan.” 

He glanced up at Sam who continued, “‘ _Exorcizamus te, omnis immundus spiritus, omnis satanica potestas, omnis incuriso infernalis adversarii, omnis legio, onmis congregatio et secta diabolica_ …’”

Meg started shaking from the pain as Sam read the exorcism ritual. She finally gasped in pain as Sam stopped.

“He _begged_ for his life with _tears_ in his eyes. He begged to see his kids one last time. _That’s when I slit his throat_.”

Sam started reading again as Angel shifted to look at Bobby upset.

“For your sake…” Dean leaned down to her, “I hope you’re lying. Cause if it’s true, _I swear to God_ , I will march into hell myself and I will _slaughter_ each and every one of you evil sons of bitches, _so help me God_!”

“‘ _Perditionis venenum propinare. Vade, satana, inventor et magister omnis fallaciae_ .’” A wind started to blow through the room as he read, “‘ _Hostis humanae salutis. Humiliare sub potenti manu dei. Contremisce et effuge. Invocato a nobis sancto et terribile nomine. Quem inferi tremunt_ …’”

When Meg started to show signs of being in pain again, Dean pressed her, “ _Where is he_?”

“You just won’t take _dead_ for an answer, will you?”

“ _Where is he_?!”

“ _Dead_!”

“No, he’s not!” Dean yelled, “ _He’s not dead_ ! He _can’t_ be!” His voice rose the more upset and angry he got, Sam stopped reading and studied him with concern as did Angel, “What are you looking at? _Keep reading_.”

“‘ _Ab insidis diaboli, libera nos, domine. Ut ecclesiam tuam secura tibi facias, libertate servire, te rogamus, audi nos_ .’” Megs chair started to slide around the circle erratically at his words, “‘ _Ut inimicos sanctae ecclesiae humiliare digneris, to rogamus audi_ …’”

“He _will_ be!”

Angel jumped forward, Dean as well, “Wait! What?!”

“He’s not dead. But he will be after what we do to him.”

  
  


“How do we know you’re telling the truth?”

“You _don’t_.”

“Sam!”

“A _building_ ! Okay? _A building in Jefferson City_.”

“Missouri? Where? An _address_!”

“ _I don’t know_.”

“And the demon- _the one we’re looking for_ ,” Sam asked, “Where is it?” 

“I don’t know! I swear! That’s everything. That’s _all_ I know.”

Dean nodded then looked up to his brother, “Finish it.”

“ _What_?” Mgs head whipped up to him, “I told you the truth!”

“ _I don’t care_.”

“You son of a bitch, you _promised_!”

“I lied! _Sam_ ?” Sam doesn’t say anything, angering Dean even more, “Sam! _Read_.”

When he walked by Sam stopped him, “Maybe we can still use her. Find out where the demon is.”

“She doesn’t know.”

“She _lied_.”

Angel huffed, hearing the conversation from where she was, “Sam there's someone we need to save trapped inside that body. We can't keep her for more information. She's done.”

“Angels right.” 

Bobby comes up to them, “You’re gonna kill her.”

Dean turned, “What?”

“You said she fell from a building. That girl’s body is broken. The only thing keeping her alive is that demon inside. You exorcise it- _that girl is going to die_.”

“Listen to me…” Dean took a breath, “ _Both_ of you, we are _not_ gonna leave her like that.”

Bobby stood his ground, “She is a human being.”

“Possessed by a _demon,_ Bobby!” Angel yelled with a scoff, “I'd rather be dead. _Anyone would rather be dead_ . She's got a freakin’ demon inside of her. I can't even believe we’re arguing about this.” Her eyes flashed back to her baby brothers, “Sam, _finish it_.”

Sam looked between Dean and Angel before his eyes landed on Bobby's, unsure. He was torn as he looked back over to Meg.

Dean met his eye again, repeating Angel's words, “ _Finish it_.”

Sam took a breath and kept going, “‘ _Dominicos sanctae ecclesiae, terogamus audi nos, terribilis deus do sanctuario suo deus israhel. Ipse tribuite virtutem et fortitudinem plebi suae, benedictus deus, gloria patri_ …’”

Meg threw her head back and screamed. The demon left through her mouth in a black cloud and spread out in the protective circle in the ceiling before disappearing. Meg's body leaned forward as blood started to drip from her mouth. The Winchesters and Bobby stood there staring at her, not really sure it was over but they all jumped into action once Meg slowly lifted her head.

“She’s still alive.” Dean rushed forward with Sam and Angel, “Call 911. Get some water and blankets.”

Bobby rushed off to do so as they untied her.

Meg looked up at them whispering, “Thank you.”

“Sh, sh.” Sam said softly, “Just take it easy, alright?”

“Get her down.” Angel instructed as moved out of the way, “C’mon.”

They lifted Meg from the chair, a sound of bones crunching at the movement. Meg screamed in pain as they lowered her to the floor.

“Sorry, sorry. I got you.” Sam huffed, “It’s okay.”

Another strained whisper left her lips, “A year.” 

“What?”

“ _It’s been a year_.”

“Sh, just take it easy.”

“I’ve been awake for some of it… I couldn’t move my own body. The things I did- _it’s a nightmare_.”

Dean shuffled closer, “Was it telling us the truth about our Dad?”

Sam scoffed, “ _Dean_.”

“We need to know, Sam.” Angel looked down at the woman, her eyes soft, “Was it?”

“Yes.” She answered painfully, “But it wants… you to know… that… they _want_ you to come for him.”

“If Dad’s still alive, none of that matters.”

Bobby came in just then with a blanket and a glass of water. He handed the glass to Dean while he and Sam covered her. Angel held her head up so she could drink.

Sam asked, “Where is the demon we’re looking for?”

“Not there. Other ones. _Awful_ ones.”

“Where are they keeping our Dad?”

“By the river. Sunrise.”

“Sunrise.” Dean repeated, “What does that mean?” When she silenced, Dean pressed her, “ _What does that mean_?”

  
Angel leaned back, sadness filling her eyes, “She's _dead_ , Dean.”

**SECTION TWO**

“You three better hurry up and beat it.” Bobby instructed, “Before the paramedics get here.”

Dean nodded but looked at him, “What are you gonna tell them?”

“You think you three _invented_ lying to the cops? I’ll figure something out.” He handed the Key of Solomon book to Sam, “Here take this. You might need it.”

“Thanks.”

“We mean it Bobby…” Angel's thankful eyes met his, “Thank you, for everything.”

Dean's eyes went to him as well, “Be careful, alright?”

“You just go find your Dad. And when you do, you bring him around, would you? I won’t even try to shoot him this time.”

Angel grinned, “Will do, B.”

**_Jefferson City, Missouri…_ **

The Impala was parked by some train tracks as Sam looked through the Key of Solomon book on the roof of the car, spinning a marker in his hand. Dean and Angel were both at the back of the car, loading up guns and putting them into a duffel bag.

At Dean's solemn quietness, Angel studied him in concern, “You’ve been quiet.”

“Just getting ready.”

“He’s gonna be fine…” Angel nodded as she focused on one of her guns, “He has to be.”

Dean didn't answer and Sam flipped to another page of the book. He saw a symbol and picked up the book to walk to the open trunk lid. After rubbing off the dirt, he started to draw on the lid.

“Dude!” As soon as Dean turned and saw him he rushed over, “What are you drawing on my car?!”

“It’s called a Devil’s trap.” Sam explained as he continued, “Demons can’t get through it _or_ inside it.”

“ _So_?”

He continued as he moved around to the other end of the trunk, “It basically turns the trunk into a lockbox.”

This time Angel raised a brow, “ _So_?”

“ _So_ , we have a place to hide the Colt while we go get Dad.”

“Uh… _no_ .” Angels brows furrowed as she and Dean shared a look, “We’re bringing the Colt _with_ us.”

“We can’t.” Sam looked between them, “Guys, we’ve only got _three_ bullets left. We can’t just use them on any demon, we’ve got to use them on _the_ demon.”

“ _No_ , we have to save _Dad_ , Sam, okay?” Dean bristled, “We’re gonna need all the help we can get.”

“Do you guys know how pissed Dad would be if we used all the bullets? _He wouldn’t want us to bring the gun_.”

“Who cares?” Angel scoffed, “He's being held hostage by who knows how many demons, Sam. It doesn't matter if he’d want us to bring it or not, _we’re bringing it_ . Since when do _you_ even care what Dad wants?”

“ _We_ want to kill this demon. You two used to want that, too. Hell, I mean, you guys are the ones who came and got me at school!” Dean scoffed at that, “You guys are the ones who dragged me back into this. _I’m just trying to finish it_!”

“Well, you and Dad are _a lot_ more alike than I thought, you know that?” Dean glared, “You both can’t _wait_ to sacrifice yourself for this thing. But you know what? _Me and Angel are gonna be the ones who have to bury you_ . You’re _selfish_ , you know that? You don’t care about anything but _revenge._ ”

“That’s not true, Dean.” He trekked on ignoring Deans scoff and Angels eyeroll, “ _I want Dad back_ , but they are _expecting_ us to bring this gun. _They get the gun, they will kill us all_ . That Colt is our _only_ leverage and you both know it. We can _not_ bring that gun. _We can’t_.”

Angel crossed her arms at him as she leaned on the impala. She knew he was right but she didn't have to like it. At Sam's piercing eyes she shrugged him off with an eye roll.

When he brought that gaze down to Dean, he looked down, “ _Fine_.”

“I’m _serious_ , Dean.”

“I said _fine_ , Sam.”

Dean took the Colt out of his jacket pocket and held it up to show Sam before putting it in the trunk.

After finishing the Devils Trap, the three of them walked by the river. They stepped up beside some trees, passing a few people as they did. 

Dean stopped, “Hey, hey.” He motioned when they looked over at him, “Think I know what Meg meant by _Sunrise_ .” They looked over and saw an apartment building with a sign out front that said ‘ _Sunrise Apartments_ ’, “ _Son of a bitch_. That’s pretty smart. I mean, if these demons can possess people they can possess almost anybody inside.”

“Yeah, and make _anybody_ attack us.”

“Including _children…_ ”

“And so we can’t kill them...” Dean motioned, “ _A building full of human shields_.”

“They probably know exactly what we look like, too.” Sam looked between them grimly, “And they could look like anybody.”

“Yeah, this sucks out loud.”

“Tell me about it.”

“Think boys…” Angel clapped her hands, “We need a plan to get inside. Any suggestions? Fire alarm?”

“Might work.” Dean nodded as he looked over at the building, “It'll get out all the civilians.”

Sam nodded, “Okay, but then the city responds in, what, _seven_ minutes?”

  
“ _Seven minutes exactly_.” Angel grinned, “Ill handle _that_.”

**SECTION THREE**

Sam walked in the front door and went to a fire alarm on the wall. Just as he’s about to pull it a man came walking down the hallway so he moved to the stairs like he’s going up them. After the man left through the front door he quickly went and pulled the alarm.

Outside the building people are running out as the firemen are coming in. Angel came up to one of the firemen, her hair was down and her shirt was tied exposing her stomach.

She twirled her hair as she looked up at the man with wide eyes, “Oh no… What’s happening? Is it a fire?”

The fireman checked her out before clearing his throat, “We’re figuring that out right now, ma’am. Just stay back.”

“It's just… i've got a Yorkie upstairs and she gets scared with loud noises.” She laughed then motioned for Dean to go forward as she grabbed onto the man's arm, “Wow! You're so strong! What do you lift 320? I bet more like 400, a big man like you…”

He smiled at her and started talking as Dean moved behind them to the fire truck. He found a compartment and picked the lock, grabbing three uniforms before giving her the okay.

“Thanks so much for your service by the way.” Angel cut the guy off, “I see my brother, i'll just go wait behind the line.”

Once inside the building Angel, Dean and Sam hurried down the hallway dressed in full fireman gear- _helmets, breathing apparatus, etc_. 

Dean spoke as he used his EMF to check the doors of the apartments, “I always wanted to be a fireman when I grew up.”

Sam eyed him, “You never told me that.”

“I always wanted to be a nurse. _Big whoop_ , we’re hunters now.” Angel dismissed with a mumble, “No need to live in the past.”

Before Sam could comment, Dean’s EMF started reading high.

He banged on the door giving that reading, “This is the fire department. We need you to evacuate.”

The people in the apartment unlocked the door and the boys shoved it open. A woman was thrown backwards as Angel, Dean and Sam came through. The three sprayed the couple with the holy water from their tanks, burning them painfully. Dean punched the man and shoved him into a closet.

“Come on!”

Sam and Angel grabbed the woman off the table and shoved her in as well. Dean and Angel leaned against the door just as it lurched when the demons inside tried to get out.

“Hurry up!”

Sam grabbed a canister of salt from the duffel bag and ran a line around the closet door. As soon as he finished it the pounding stopped. The three took off the fireman gear and moved to the bedroom door. They slowly open it to see John, unconscious and beaten, on the bed. 

Dean and Angel ran to him immediately, “Dad?” 

Dean's eyes lifted to Angel in a panic before she fretted over him.

Angel checked for a pulse then leaned down and listened, “He’s still breathing.” Sam and Dean both look on relieved, “He's alive.”

“Dad, wake up.” Dean shook him, “ _Dad_!” 

He took out a knife and was about to cut the restraints around John’s wrists but was stopped by Sam, “Wait. _Wait_.”

Angel lifted her head, “We don't have time for this Sam. He needs help.”

“He could be _possessed_ for all we know.”

Dean glared, “What, _are you nuts_?”

“Guys, we got to be sure.” 

Sam took a flask of holy water out of the duffle bag and sprinkled it on John. It had no effect.

“Sam?” John moaned as he started to wake up, “Why are you splashing water on me?”

Angel took a breath, “Oh thank god.”

Dean leaned down, “Dad, are you okay?”

“They’ve been drugging me. Where’s the Colt?”

Sam answered from the foot of the bed as Dean and Angel cut him free, “Don’t worry, Dad, it’s safe.”

“Good job…” John repeated over and over as they got him up, “Good job you three… Good job…”

The three of them carried John out of the bedroom as the front door suddenly burst open. A man and a fireman ran in.

“Go!” Sam hurried, “Go!”

“Get to the back!” Angel instructed, pushing them, “ _Now_! Hurry!” 

They rushed back into the bedroom and slammed the door locking it when an axe suddenly came through the door. Angel ran a line of salt at the bedroom door as the boys helped John out on the fire escape.

“Angel!” Dean yelled, “Come on!”

Angel tossed him the duffel bag and went through the window out onto the fire escape. She ran salt along the window sill as Sam and Dean helped John down onto the street. When she moved ahead of them she was suddenly attacked from the side and thrown to the ground. 

She quickly rolled out of the way as a foot came toward her face and got up. As the Demon approached she brought her arms out and then raised her forearms blocking an oncoming hit before using her other hand to punch him in the throat. It jarred him back a little but all it really did was piss him off enough to growl and tackle her to the floor. He pinned Angel down on the street and started strangling her. 

Dean and Sam both rushed to her aid after setting John down but were quickly thrown painfully into parked cars. Angel gasped for air and grappled with the man's hands as black dots swam around her vision. Her eyes traveled to the Demons, who smiled as hers got lower and lower. 

Suddenly a gunshot went off and the man got a bullet through the head after flashing bright colors. He fell off of Angel, _dead_. Above him was Dean, standing with the Colt. He put it away and came over to his sister who was on her side coughing and gasping for air. Sam joined them, in shock and helped her up along with Dean.

“Angel!” Dean yelled as they helped her, “You're alright, it's okay. Come on.”

“Breath, Ang.”

They got her to her feet and they looked at the dead man. The demon was dead and so was the man it was possessing. 

Dean's face turns hard, “Come on. We gotta get out of here.” 

They hurried over to John and picked him up, leaving the area in a hurry.

**SECTION FOUR**

The Impala was parked outside a cabin in the woods. Inside, Sam poured salt along the window sill as Angel eyed her neck in the mirror. It was a swollen bruised mess with big handprints over her windpipe. They both turned once Dean came into the room.

“How is he?”

Dean looked at them, “He just needed a little rest, that’s all.” He surveyed Angel, “How are you?”

“A1, little brother.” She dismissed, “Not the first time a demon tried to choke me out.”

“Hey…” Sam sighed, “You guys don’t think we were followed here, do you?”

“I dont know.” Dean shook his head, “I don’t think so. I mean, we couldn’t have found a more _out-of-the-way_ place to hole up.”

“That's true. We’re in the middle of nowhere in an abandoned cabin.”

Sam nodded, “Yeah.”

“Hey, uh…” Dean cleared his throat looking away from them, “Can i tell you guys somethin’?”

“Yeah?”

“Sure.”

“You know that guy I shot? There was a person in there…”

“You didn’t have a choice, Dean.” Sam mended, “He was going to kill Angel.”

“You saved my life.”

“Yeah, I know, that’s not what bothers me.”

Angel cocked her head to her little brother, “Then what does?”

“Killing that guy, killing _Meg_ … I didn’t hesitate, _I didn’t even flinch_. For you two or Dad, the things I’m willing to do or kill, it’s just, uh… it scares me sometimes.”

The three of them silenced as they stared at each other knowingly because if they were being honest, they were all in that boat. 

“It shouldn't.” John said as he quietly walked into the room, “You did good.”

Dean's head went up, “You’re not mad?”

“For what?”

“Using a bullet.”

“ _Mad_ ?” He scoffed, “I’m _proud_ of you. You know… Sam, and I, even Angel sometimes, we can get pretty obsessed. But you- you watch out for this family. You always have.”

Dean stared at him for a few seconds before nodding at his fathers word, “Thanks.”

The wind suddenly picked up outside just before the lights started to flicker. They all went over to the window as John studied outside.

“It found us. It’s here.”

Sam looked to him, “The demon?”

“Sam, lines of salt in front of every window, every door.” He instructed quickly, “Angel help him.”

Sam frowned, “I already did it.”

“Well, _check it_ , okay?”

Sam stiffened, “Okay.”

After he and Angel left the room John turned to Dean, “Dean, you got the gun?”

“Yeah.”

He motioned, “Give it to me.”

“Dad…” Dean took the colt out of his jeans, “Sam tried to shoot the demon in Salvation. It disappeared.”

“ _This is me_ . I won’t miss. Now, the gun, hurry.” Dean hesitated, sending a look down at the gun, “Son, _please_.” As something flooded over him, Dean started to backup a few steps, “Give me the gun. What are you doing, Dean?”

“...He’d be furious.”

“What?”

“That I wasted a bullet. He wouldn’t be _proud_ of me, _he’d tear me a new one_ .” John looked at him like he lost his mind as Dean raised the gun to him and cocked it, “ _You’re not my Dad_.”

John scoffed, “Dean, it’s _me_.”

“I know my Dad better than anyone.” Dean shook his head as tears formed in his eyes, “And _you_ ain’t _him_.”

“What the _hell’s_ gotten into you?”

“I could ask you the same thing. _Stay back_.”

When Sam and Angel came back into the room they were both equally shocked to see Dean pointing the gun at John.

Angel stopped Sam from walking further, “Dean, what the hell are you doing?”

Sam looked between them, “What the hell’s going on?”

John motioned, “Your brother’s lost his mind.”

“He’s not Dad.”

“ _What_?”

“Dean what do you mean he's not dad?”

“I think he’s possessed.” The more he talks the more upset he gets, “I think he’s been possessed since we rescued him.” 

“Don’t listen to him.” John shook his head pleading with his other two kids, “He's _paranoid_.”

Sam's eyes met his brothers, “Dean, how do you know?”

He fought back tears, “He’s… he’s _different_.”

“You're not making any sense Dean… We checked him, remember?” Angel held out her hands as she slowly shuffled toward her brother, “Just give me the gun.”

“We don't have time for this.” John shook his head, “ _Sam, Angel_ , you two wanna kill this demon, you’ve gotta _trust_ me.” 

They both looked back and forth between their father and brother. Dean glanced at them, but didn't say anything else to convince them.

“Sammy? Ang, _lil bit_ … Come on, _you know it's me_.”

Angel glared at the childhood nickname that left her fathers mouth. One she hasnt heard since before her mother passed. He hasn't called her that since she was six years old.

She backed up towards Dean, “How is that…”

Sam looked back and forth, noting the devastation in both of his siblings eyes, “No. _No_.” 

Once he moved back to stand beside Dean as well, John looked between them, “ _Fine_ . You’re all so sure, go ahead. _Kill me_ .” He looked down and waited as Dean held the gun on him, but couldn't pull the trigger, “ _I thought so._ ” 

When he looked back up, his eyes were yellow. Sam lunged for him, but was thrown against the wall and pinned there. Dean was next, the impact causing him to drop the Colt. Then Angel who grimaced at the impact of hitting the wall. 

The Demon picked the Colt up with a smirk, “What a pain in the ass this thing’s been.”

“It’s _you_ , isn’t it?” Sam groaned out, “We’ve been looking for you for a long time.”

“Well, _you found me_.”

Angel grimaced, “But the holy water?”

“You think something like _that_ works on something like _me_?”

Sam tried to fight the force that has him pinned to the wall, but failed, “I’m gonna kill you!”

“Oh, that’d be a neat trick. In fact…” He put the gun down on a table, “ _Here_ . Make the gun float to you there, _psychic_ boy.” Sam looked at the gun, struggling, but nothing happened, “Well, _this is fun_ .” He walked over to the wall beside Angel and stared her down, “I could’ve killed you three a hundred times today, but this…” He sighed, “ _This_ is worth the wait.” Angel struggled as she glared at him hatefully, “Your Dad- _he’s in here with me_ . Trapped inside his own meat suit. He says _hi_ , by the way.” He grinned wider as he leaned closer to her face, “He’s gonna tear you apart. He’s gonna taste the iron in your blood. Oh, I can't _wait_ until he sees his precious baby girl in _pieces_ on the floor. _That'll just be delicious_.”

Angel glared hatefully, “Let him go, or I swear to God-”

“ _What_ ? What are you and _God_ gonna do? You see, as far as I’m concerned, this is _justice_ .” He walked over to Dean, “You know that little exorcism of yours? _That_ was my _daughter_.”

“Who?” Dean frowned as his brows shot up, “ _Meg_?”

“The one in the alley? _That was my boy_.” He shrugged, “You understand.”

Dean scoffed, “You’ve got to be kidding me.”

“What? _You’re_ the only one that can have a family? _You destroyed my children_ . How would _you_ feel if _I_ killed _your_ family?” He smiled at Dean, “Oh, that’s right. I forgot. _I did_ . Still, _two wrongs don’t make a right_.”

Dean glared, “You son of a bitch.”

“I wanna know _why_ .” Sam grunted, “ _Why’d_ you do it?”

He turned, “You mean why did I kill Mommy and pretty little Jess?”

“Yeah.”

He turned back to Dean, “You know, I never told you two this, but Sam was going to ask her to marry her.” He backed up toward Sam, “ _Been shopping for rings and everything_ .” He turns to stare at Sam, “You want to know _why_ ? _Because they got in the way_.”

“In the way of _what_?”

“My plans for _you_ , Sammy. You… _and all the children like you_.”

“Jesus can you get on with the killing already?” Angel scoffed, “I'm falling asleep here.”

“ _Right_.” Dean laughed, “I hate monologuing.”

“ _Funny_ .” The Demon walked back over to Dean, “But that’s all part of yours and your sister M.O., isn’t it? Helps you two mask all that nasty pain, _masks the truth_.”

“Oh, yeah? What’s that?”

“You know, you fight and you fight for this family, but the truth is they don’t need you. _Not like you need them_ . _Sam-_ he’s _clearly_ John’s favorite. Even when they fight, it’s more concern than he’s _ever_ shown _you_ . And _Angel_ ? _One of a kind in the Winchester household_ . The first born, only girl _and_ she's the spitting image of your mother. _Not only that_ , it's obvious daddy thinks she's the superior hunter.”

Pain crossed Dean's face at the demon's words but he kept his head up, “I bet you’re _real_ proud of _your_ kids, too, huh? Oh wait, I forgot. _I wasted ‘em_.”

Dean smirked as the Demons face went blank. He stepped back and put his head down, as if concentrating on something. When his eyes snapped back up, Dean suddenly yelled in pain.

“Dean!”

“No!” Angel struggled, “Stop it!”

Dean started to bleed heavily from new gashes forming in his chest as Sam and Angel struggled against the force pinning them.

“Dad!” Dean gurgled out painfully, “Dad, don’t you let it kill me!”

The demon smiled at that just before Dean started screaming louder.

“Stop!” Angel wailed, “Stop! You're killing him!”

“Dean!!” Sam yelled, “No!!”

The blood flowed out of Dean as the two continued to struggle to no avail.

Blood ran from Dean's mouth, “Dad, please…” 

Panic filled Sam and Angel when Dean's eyes closed and his body went slack with unconsciousness.

“Dean!”

“No! Wake up!”

Suddenly a whisper escaped John's lips, “ _Stop_ .” When his eyes returned to normal, the three of them were suddenly let go, “ _Stop it_.”

Sam dived and grabbed the gun off the table as Angel made a beeline for Dean. 

John, eyes yellow once again, turned to Sam just as he aimed the gun at him, “You kill _me_ , you kill _Daddy_.”

“ _I know_.” 

Sam fired the gun, shooting John in the leg and sending him to the ground.

Sam got up and ran over to Angel and Dean, “Is he alive? Dean? Oh God, you’ve lost a lot of blood.”

“He's okay…” Angel cried as she took off her jacket and put it over the new wounds in her little brother's chest, making him flinch, “We just- we just gotta apply pressure.”

Dean ground out, “Where’s Dad?”

“He’s right here.” Sam patted him, “He’s right here, Dean.”

“Go check on him.”

“Dean.”

“ _Go check on him_.”

Sam looked at Angel who nodded, “Go. I've got him. Everything will be fine, Sammy.”

“Dad?” Sam got up and hurried over to check on John who was lying motionless on the floor, “ _Dad_?”

John suddenly woke up, groaning loudly, “Sammy! _It’s still alive_ . It’s _inside_ me, I can _feel_ it. You shoot me. _You shoot me_ ! You shoot me in the heart, son!” Sam shakily aimed the gun at John's chest, “ _Do it now_!”

“Sam, don't you do it!” Dean struggled up but Angel stopped him, “ _Don’t you do it._ ”

“You’ve gotta hurry!” John yelled, “I can’t hold onto it much longer! You shoot me, son! _Shoot me_ ! Son, I’m begging you! We can end this here and now! _Sammy_!”

“Sam.” Angel cried, watching them, “ _No_.”

“You do this! _Sammy_! Sam…” 

The demon suddenly left John's body in a black cloud from his mouth. It disappeared through the floor as John sent an accusing disappointed look to Sam.

**SECTION FIVE**

Sam drove the impala with John by his side. Dean was in the back seat next to Angel who was still putting pressure on his wound. John gasped in pain, and Angel started freaking out as Dean stayed slumped in the back seat unresponsive to anything she did.

“Look, just hold on, alright.” Sam tried to keep everyone calm, “The hospital’s only ten minutes away.”

“Dean…” Angel shook him before slapping his face a little so he kept his eyes open, “Stay awake, alright? We’re almost there.”

John glared over to Sam, “I’m surprised at you, Sammy.”

“Dad-”

“Angel, _be quiet_ .” John demanded before tearing Sam a new one, “Why didn’t you kill it? I thought we saw _eye-to-eye_ on this? Killing this demon comes _first_ \- _before me, before everything_.”

Sam looked in the rear view mirror at Dean and Angel, “No, sir. Not before _everything_ . Look, we’ve still got the Colt. _We still have the one bullet left_. We just have to start over, alright? I mean, we already found the demon-”

An eighteen wheeler suddenly slammed into the passenger side of the Impala at full speed. It dragged the impala sideways, demolishing it on impact and incapacitating everyone in the car. When both vehicles came to a halt, the driver of the semi sat behind the wheel. As he got out of the truck, his eyes turned black. Sam, John, Angel and Dean were all unconscious in the car and covered in blood, glass and cuts.


End file.
